The Challenge
During 2021, like many other businesses in the construction sector, KITE was one of the companies that had to deal with the challenges the pandemic unexpectedly brought to us.
The coronavirus spread didn’t only increase the cost of the shipping for commodities and products, but also contributed dramatically to create a global increase in the steel prices.
However, this strong hitting virus gave managers the challenge to seek solutions and be more adaptable to the new rules of the game. Creativity and innovation were keywords for the challenge in which KITE met to come up with a great solution.
Less Steel, Less Cost
Anthony Wells, the managing director of KITE, invested his vast experience of working in steel products over the last 40 years and innovated ModiFix, a new railing system that uses less steel. The idea was generated from deploying the laser cut precision, a specific technique used in the fencing industry and applied in railing businesses. This implementation can save up to 20% of costs due to less steel and welding time which is welcomed in the current volatile steel market.
How Is It Applied?
ModiFix relies on applying the computer-controlled laser focus to create holes on the vertical posts and are then fixed in place with grub-screws. It is that simple and strong. Additionally, there will be no need for clamps to fit tubes or create angles the way it is applied on other traditional railing systems. This is where the main part of saving in steel used is made up from. The other part of saving comes from the feasibility of ModiFix with the ability to create 2 metres space between each post. This saving on the steel used will contribute to cut cost significantly.
Essential Gain To The Environment
The fact that the traditional welded ball standard system is replaced directly with the laser cut posts, creates the cost saving. However, this saving turns into an environmental advantage with the exclusion of welding. These welding processes have consequences on the environment as welding can cause air pollution resulted from welding fumes, radiation, UV light, flames and welding gas mixtures.
Welding fumes generally consist of oxides that are formed from the oxygen mixing with the metal substances that are vaporized at high temperatures during the welding process. Some of the common gases emitted are ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrous gases. Exposure to these fumes may cause a number of health problems including lung damage and various types of cancer.
With the above in mind, ModiFix will help to reduce carbon footprint on every completed project by omitting all welded parts needed and creating a system that is more environmentally friendly.
Benefits & Comparison To Other Railing System
ModiFix creates a great new solution for the handrailing industry. There are many benefits by applying this system to your site:
Cost efficient: the saving from steel used will be reverted directly to the project budget.
Maintenance free: The fact that you will have less clamps and no welded parts will make the system strong with minimal maintenance required.
Environmentally friendly: No welded parts involved in ModiFix parts.
Flexible for level or sloped surfaces: The new railing system can be applied on any surface either by fitting base plates for concrete ground or by embedding the post under the ground for other ground structures like grass or soil.
Easy to install: the system will be cut and ready to install without any clamps needed.
Fits many different applications: ModiFix can be used in sites as varied as oil rigs, petrochemical plants, railways, gas and electricity facilities, water works and on the roofs of countless commercial and industrial buildings including factories, supermarkets and offices.
Manufactured to required specifications: If you are a project manager, a contractor, a civil engineer, a subcontractor, or a facility manager you can provide your requirements and site drawings to our technical team and they will be able to assist and provide the best of their experience to save time and cost for your project or site.
Comes in galvanised or self-coloured finishes: Although ModiFix can be applied in both finishes, our technical team advise to use the galvanised steel for its elasticity towards weather factors.
The image below demonstrates how many fittings the clamp handrail system needs to be fitted perfectly. As you can see there could be a minimum of 14 steel fittings to install the system. Whereby using ModiFix, all you need is base plates to fit the system on a concrete ground or if embedding into the ground then no base plates at all.
Safety Accreditation
To guarantee ModiFix performs with its maximum consistency, the new system has been rigorously tested at 1.5m and 2m spans to meet load rating regulations to current British standards.
ModiFix complies with the following regulations:
■ Lifting operation and lifting equipment regulation 1998. SI 2307
■ BS EN ISO 14122
■ BS 6180
■ BS EN 13374
■ The work at height regulation
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