BPH chooses BSP impact hammers
To ensure its customers continue to be supplied with the most reliable, proven and technically advanced equipment available, BPH, the piling equipment and crawler crane hire subsidiary of the Birse Group, has chosen Ipswich-based BSP International Foundations to supply the company with a number of their new CX range of impact hammers as part of BPH’s upgrading and expanding hire fleet.
The first two BSP hammers, specified and recently delivered to BPH are the CX85 and a CX110, part of a new six-model compact range offering ram weights from three tonnes up to nine tonnes with impact energy outputs spanning 40kN to 106kNm. BSP has designed and developed the range to meet the needs of civil engineering contractors with a requirement for hammers in specific weight ranges. BPH specified modifications to the CX85 which will enable it to be utilised in both 5t and 7t modes.
A feature of the CX110 is that it can be fitted with a tubular insert allowing the hammer to accommodate piles of 1.2m in diameter whilst in similar mode, the CX85 is capable of driving 1.067m diameter piles.
BPH, based at Barton-on-Humber, is acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading plant hirers specializing in the hire both of piling hammers and crawler cranes. The company has in excess of 20 vibro hammers including the latest variable moment machines by French manufacturer PTC and HPSI, the American piling equipment specialist, in addition to 16 impact hammers by DCP and the latest BSP models, giving customers the widest possible choice to suit their exact requirements.
The crane fleet comprises over 50 crawlers, a mix of Hitachi, IHI, Kobelco and NCK models offering operating capacities from 50 tonnes up to 150 tonnes, all of which can be supplied with experienced operators. BPH previously owned the largest fleet of C120 (110t) NCK Eiger cranes in the UK but these, along with a full range of cranes, are included in a replacement programme. This is currently 70% complete which will shortly see the entire BPH fleet comprising only ‘state of the art’ modern hydraulic machinery.
Graham Booth, BPH’s managing director, is proud of the fact that his company is the only one of its type offering customers a complete piling package, in other words ‘a one stop shop’, including a comprehensive back-up service which he reckons is the best in the industry and covering all of the UK and Ireland.
Mr Booth is adamant that BPH’s business philosophy is to provide the right piling hammer and crane combination when it is required and delivered to a site on time but also to advise on hammer operation, safety and on-site servicing as well as maintenance to maintain and improve customer production levels.
To meet these criteria, service engineers, highly experienced in piling equipment and crane
troubleshooting, are on call to support the customer wherever his site may be located. They are strategically located throughout the country, enabling them to respond quickly to any problems that may arise on site. Workshop technicians based at the Barton headquarters carry out running repairs, servicing and, when necessary, major overhauls.
Following the purchase of the two new BSP hammers, engineers and workshop personnel are to undergo in depth training in all aspects of the CX hammers’ operation and servicing at the BSP works at Ipswich.
“We pride ourselves in the fact we have established long term business relationships with companies such as Mowlem Marine, Harbour & General, Edmund Nuttall, Skanska, Morgan Est, Keller Foundations and Dew Pitchmastic, Morgan Est and Keller to mention just a few. I believe much of our success is built around our wealth of technical experience and our ability in being able to supply our customers with the most up to date and reliable piling equipment and the best service available. This can be qualified by the amount of repeat hire and referral business we receive, so we must be doing something right,” says Mr Booth.
“Of course, customer confidence in BPH as a company is also a key element. It is our aim to extend still further our customer base and thereby increase the numbers to whom BPH have become suppliers of cranes and piling equipment on a ’first call’ basis, particularly but not only in the piling and ground engineering markets,” he adds.
BPH has been a customer of BSP for 25 years during which time has regularly bought piling hammers, mainly models from the hugely popular 357 range. We know from our working experience with BSP that the products are extremely reliable and productive so when the CX range was launched we had no hesitation in running field trials which proved very successful and then subsequently placing the initial order,” Mr Booth explains.
During the time both hammers have been on hire, Mr Booth says they are proving to be reliable and efficient in operation and contractors are pleased with their performance. Following positive site reports and anticipated industry demand, the company has placed another order with BSP for a further CX85 and CX110 hammers for delivery in October.
BSP’s CX range has generated a great deal of interest since the prototypes were unveiled at the Bauma 2001 exhibition. Since then the hammers have been upgraded with each model in the range having a dedicated ram weight. As per the supply to BPH, the CX range can be crane suspended with legs and inserts to suit a variety of piles including steel tubular bearing piles, sheet steel piles in pairs, steel H and combi piles as well as reinforced concrete and timber piles. Alternatively, the hammers can be fitted on piling rigs or leaders to drive, in addition to the above range of piles, cast in situ piles.
David Redhead, managing director of BSP, says: “We are naturally delighted with the response we have had from contractors and specialised hire companies such as BPH. The interest by the plant hire sector is particularly pleasing as it gives a wide range of contractors access to the latest up to date equipment.”
The initial reaction to the CX range and the sales achieved so far bode well for BSP in the UK and should compliment its well established sales and marketing efforts in overseas markets where it has been highly successful with its larger hammers.