25.01.2010

ALE global rebrand

Heavy transport and lifting company ALE has unveiled its new global rebranding which includes the renaming of its heavy lift AL.SK cranes. The new nomenclature of its large heavy lift cranes is aimed at reducing the confusion that has existed when comparing the performance of the crane’s innovative design and now reflects the load moment measurement around the point of rotation.
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The two cranes are now called the AL.SK 190 and the AL.SK350 and have 190,000 tonne metre and 354,000 tonne metre load moments, which says the company, ranks them as the world’s largest land-based cranes. The AL.SK350’s lift capacity will be more than double the load moment of its closest rival.

The new branding was unveiled at an event held at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London where the company – former known as Abnormal Load Engineering – revealed that it was unifying its expanding €150 million global business.

“The launch of our new brand marks an exciting turning point in ALE’s 26 year history and consolidates our businesses gives us a single, clear identity and cements our position as a global leader,” said executive director Mark Harries. “Our new strap-line – Smarter, Safer and Stronger - was chosen deliberately to reflect what ALE stands for to remain at the leading edge of our industry.”
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The AL.SK190 during initial testing

The AL.SK190 and AL.SK350 have been designed for the lifting and installation of ultra heavy loads. Equipped with a standard quick winch system (150 metres per hour) for loads up to 600 tonnes and a strand jack lifting system (10 metres per hour) for loads up to 5,000 tonnes, both can be relocated on site by skidding or by self propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) fully assembled and rigged.

The company also made several other announcements including the recent €11 million purchase of a Terex Demag CC8800-1 – to fill the gap between the MK1500 and the AL.SK190 – which has been delivered to Portugal and is being made ready for a 1,600 tonne maximum capacity inaugural lift in March.
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The AL.SK190 has a maximum lift capacity of more than 4,300 tonnes

ALE also made an €11 million investment in SPMT's - its fleet now exceeds 1,000 axle - and announced that it has won its biggest contract in its history – a multi-million pound project being involved in building two of Europe’s biggest aircraft carriers. ALE’s role will be in transporting and delivering components weighing up to 11,000 tonnes for the two Navy super carriers – the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.

Weighing and ballasting specialist John Gibson Projects – a company that was acquired by ALE in 2007 but until now had kept its own separate identity – will also be integrated into the new global brand.

Founded in 1983 by executive director Roger Harries, ALE is headquartered in Staffordshire and has more than 20 offices across Europe, the Far East, Africa, North and South America and the Middle East.