Stadium Export Services packs largest grinding machine in Europe

Stadium Export Services has successfully packed the largest grinding machine in Europe at its site in Swalwell, Gateshead.

The machine has been designed and manufactured in the UK by French industrial engineering group Fives Landis. Measuring 11 meters long, by 4.5 meters high and 4.5 meters wide, this machine weighs over 75,000 kilograms.

Stadium was required to design a fabricated steel frame capable of supporting the grinding machine’s weight. The frame was then sent to West Yorkshire, where its final assembly was undertaken by Stadium’s specialist off-site packing team at Fives’ premises.

The machine was then loaded onto the frame, and secured to a multi axle low loader to safely transport it over 100 miles to Stadium’s facility in Gateshead. Due to its size, the machine could only be moved during the night and under escort; arriving at Stadium’s facility at 4am the following morning, where it was moved into the factory for packing.

In order to preserve it, Stadium fabricated a foil climatic barrier that was hermetically sealed and charged with a high volume of desiccant to prevent moisture damage. The machine was then fully enclosed within a timber case, which was built directly up from the bespoke steel base frame. Particular attention was given to the design of the lid in order to prevent water ingress during its 10,000 nautical miles journey, from Gateshead to a customer in China.

Four 40 foot arctic loads of ancillary items; including electrical cabinets, hydraulic pumps and various items stripped from the machine were also fully export packed and transported to Southampton port, along with the multi-million pound machine, ready to be delivered to China.