Lifting Gear Hire Upgrades Load Cell Fleet with Straightpoint

U.S. lifting equipment rental specialist Lifting Gear Hire (LGH) has initiated a major overhaul of its load cell fleet and placed a landmark order for manufacturer Straightpoint’s (SP) Radiolink plus units up to 220,000 lbs. in capacity.

The order, the value of which is not disclosed, will be delivered in a piecemeal fashion over a two-to-three-year period and will result in 23 LGH rental facilities in the U.S. and Canada stocking exclusively SP product. The Radiolink plus, which is the UK manufacturer’s top selling load cell, is capable of both weighing and dynamic load monitoring and is suited to a myriad of applications.

LGH will take a variety of models, including standard long-range (2,300 ft. or 700m) wireless versions and a number of Bluetooth units, predominantly for internal use. SP only recently updated its Bluetooth capability and launched an enhanced version of its popular app. The upgrade from Bluetooth 4.1 to 4.2 facilitated two standout improvements over the original version, namely increased range and the volume of smart devices that can be connected to a load cell.

Tony Fiscelli, president at LGH, said: “We always look for the best and most reliable product manufacturers; we feel SP falls directly in line with those high standards. Put simply, we feel they are the leader in the business sector they perform in. We look at both our vendors and customers as true partners. We value and cherish the relationships at all levels of our supply chain.”

The switch to SP follows LGH’s use of its wireless compression load cells, which offer the same range and cable-less benefits as the aforementioned Radiolink plus products. Additionally, LGH operations in mainland Europe and the UK have recently committed to SP’s range of force measurement products and reported on their robustness and suitability to rental applications.

The order will result in 23 LGH rental facilities in the U.S. and Canada stocking exclusively SP load cells. This is LGH’s Bridgeview, IL rental center.

Dan Pittman, business sales manager at LGH, acknowledged that constant evolution of the SP range was a key factor in partnering with the manufacturer. David Ayling, director at SP, said: “Recognition of our commitment to innovation and customer-driven improvement from a rental powerhouse such as LGH is testament to our ongoing success in providing load cells that make end user applications safer, more efficient, and as accurate and technologically advanced as possible.”

Pittman pointed to favorable market conditions as the first shipments arrive on U.S. soil. He said: “Business is good and the economy is growing. The forecast for the next several years gives us much cause for optimism. Heavy commercial and industrial construction are certainly marketplaces to note, and U.S. infrastructure projects will continue to require accurate information about the varied loads they lift on a daily basis.”

SP will continue to supply load cells through its existing and extensive North American distribution network.