Home » News » India Buildings £38m Liverpool development project powered by Nu-Star Electric Wheelbarrow

India Buildings £38m Liverpool development project powered by Nu-Star Electric Wheelbarrow

Powered tip and drive electric wheelbarrows transform site operations in Liverpool

J.B.V demolition are one of the UKs leading demolition companiesworking on high profile projects through-out the country. J.B.V were recentlyawarded the prestigious India Buildings contract strip-out.

The India Building is an early 1900 Grade II listed building in the heart of Liverpool. The nine storey commercial building commands an entire block and is mainly used today as offices. Following the re-development work the India Building will be home to HMRC’s new “Supercentre” and house 3,500 staff.

The India Building refurbishment, required J.B.Vs experienced skills to internally strip-out the building, whilst taking great care of the historic building during the renovation work.

The sheer size of the building resulted in large quantities of debris needing to be transported long distances and then tipped into the waste chutes. The nature of a Grade II listing requires the windows to remain in place, meaning there was insufficient ventilation to use machinery with petrol or diesel engines as the exhaust fumes and noise would have been a health and safety risk.

 J.B.V had started the project using a large number oftraditional manual wheelbarrows before they heard about the Nu-Star MUV ElectricWheelbarrow – capable of hauling 350Kg for up to 8km on a single charge.

Rob Munro, JBV Project Manager and Demolition Engineer, states ‘Introducing Nu-Star’s Electric Wheelbarrow has transformed our on-site operations. We’ve been able to utilise our workforce more effectively, removing the debris could normally require a four man “traditional” wheelbarrow squad, but using two Electric Wheelbarrows controlled by two operatives not only reduced labour by 50%, but increased the payload by around 30/40% when transporting masonry/concrete debris at the same time. Furthermore there was no fatigue on the operatives because they don’t have to push the barrow (especially when going up a ramp!) and they also don’t need to take any load though their body, particularly their shoulders and arms.

Not only therefore has the powered drive helped save time and effort, but the powered tip functionality has been a god-send in regards to on-site health and safety. I’ve got a very happy workforce! Durability has always been an issue with electric wheelbarrows from past experience, but the Nu-Star version is durable (no issues with them whatsoever) and they are also very simple for the operatives to use.’

Matt Smith, Nu-Star MD, ‘Our MUV Electric Wheelbarrow is an ideal solution for the construction industry, with no exhaust fumes or handlebar vibrations our powered barrow is suitable for internal construction projects. With the rise in city centre redevelopment projects and the growing trend of residential basement development, we frequently sell and hire electric-powered wheelbarrows into this sector.’

See how our battery-powered machines are used in the Construction Industry here.

Home » News » Nu-Star Power Pusher takes the hard work out of moving heavy loads for William Haley Engineering

Nu-Star Power Pusher takes the hard work out of moving heavy loads for William Haley Engineering

Power Pusher facilitates improved Health and Safety and increased productivity at the Somerset base

William Haley Engineering, part of The Haley Group, based in Somerset are one of the leading steelwork fabricators in the UK.  William Haley Engineering specialise in the construction industry and have been involved in many high profile projects which have resulted in them supplying steel frame structures for buildings all over the world.

William Haley Engineering is renowned for its strong safety culture in the workplace and has annual safety improvement objectives toachieve. This is where Nu-Star’s electric tug solutions aided Haley Engineeringreach its safety targets.

Haley Engineering first contacted Nu-Star back in July 2014 with the aim of improving safety in the workplace by reducing the amount of manual handling. The production line at Haley Engineering utilises a rail system structure with transfer cars to move steel structures weighing up to 20 tonnes through the factory. Pushing the transfer cars by hand could be very strenuous on employees’ backs and a risk to safety.

The Nu-Star Power Pusher with a push pad attachment was perfect for the application, Haley Engineering swiftly ordered the electric tow tug after seeing what the Power Pusher could do at the demonstration, pushing heavy loads was effortless.

Kevin Watson, part of William Haley Engineering team, said, “Introducing the Power Pusher has quite literally took the strain out of moving the heavy steelwork for us here on our production line. We’ve improved our health and safety by reducing the number of workplace injuries from manual handling.  We’re also doing our bit for the environment as the electric tug emits no exhaust fumes and it’s perfect for indoor use.”

The Power Pusher proved its credibility; as a reliable, cost effective solution and a robust asset to the assembly line. Subsequently, William Haley Engineering contacted us in September 2018 to invest in a second Power Pusher tug. This tug would run alongside the first Power Pusher to help improve efficiency and productivity in the factory, with a machine operating at either end of the production line, reducing down time in between moving one machine throughout the factory.

Matt Smith, Managing Director at Nu-Star explained “We pride ourselves in designing and building reliable solutions, which in turn make our customers come back to us, time and time again. William Haley Engineering are a valued customer and we’re happy that our Power Pusher helped them meet their HS&E and production targets.”

Find out how Nu-Star can help improve your workplaceoperations and view our wide range of Nu-Star electric tugs here.

Home » News » Power Pusher set to improve efficiency at Shaws of Darwen

Power Pusher set to improve efficiency at Shaws of Darwen

Shaws of Darwen were faced with a big problem when replacing an old kiln with a brand new one as the existing dolly system was beyond economic repair and the time implications of refurbishing would hinder the expected date of commissioning the new kiln.

Mark Duckworth, Shaws of Darwen, Maintenance Manager, explains “The cost to repair the old Kiln car rail moving system was not economical and to operate the kiln without this process was an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of the Shaws workforce.

I embarked on a search to find an alternative solution and that’s where Nu-Star came in, recommended by one of our current suppliers.”

Nu-Star have worked with Shaws of Darwen to create a bespoke attachment for the signature Power Pusher electric-powered tug mover. Every business is unique with differing needs and the Nu-Star team understands this. That’s why Nu-Star provide a personal service by getting to understand the business needs and application to offer tailored solutions.

The Power Pusher can both push and pull large, heavy loads in a safe and efficient way; often taking the job of multiple members of the workforce. The Power Pusher is pedestrian-operated and has the benefit that it isn’t subject to LOLER regulations and requires no license to operate. Therefore, all staff can be trained to operate the electric tug.

By utilising the signature Power Pusher, and working with Shaws to create an adjustable hook attachment for Shaws kiln cars, Shaws are able to hook the Power Pusher to the kiln car and manoeuvre it effortlessly into the Kiln. The Power Pusher is electric-powered meaning it’s suitable to use indoor with no fumes and creating very little noise; making it an environmentally friendly option.

Shaws have multiple kilns across their factory in Lancashire, so our electric mover solution needed to work for each kiln, with different kiln car heights. Therefore we created an easy-to-use box slider system so the height can easily be adjusted and utilised throughout the factory.

Matt Smith, Nu-Star MD, says “We have a growing number of customers worldwide in the Ceramics and Brick Industries, utilising our electric tugs, for moving kiln cars into and out of their autoclaves. Our solution is considered more cost-effective and flexible than the traditional winch method.

The progressive throttle on the Power Pusher means the operator can move the laden kiln car at a speed that prevents any accidental, vibration induced damage to the product, particularly before it is fired.

We are delighted to have worked with Shaws of Darwen on this aspect of their expansion project.”

We offer a wide range of Nu-Star electric tugs, with a solution for every moving load requirement.

If it rolls… we can move it! ®

Read about us in the latest Handling & Storage Solutions news.

Home » News » Second Cable Drum Pusher for El Sewedy Electric in Egypt

Second Cable Drum Pusher for El Sewedy Electric in Egypt

Elsewedy Electric is the leading integrated cables and electrical products manufacturer in the Middle East, specialising in providing complete and integrated energy Solutions in sectors as diverse as: Telecom , Energy Management, Turnkey Projects, Electrical Products and Wind Energy Generation. They employ more than 10,000 employees working in 30 production facilities located in 15 countries around the world and export to more than 110 countries worldwide

The Egytech plant in Ramadan City, Egypt, manufactures medium & high voltage power cables up to 500Kv rating for the Middle East, African & European markets.

Egytech first contacted Nu-Star in October 2008 in search of a machine powerful enough to push the larger 40,000Kg+ cable drums that they were due to shortly start producing. They had been unable to find a suitable product elsewhere on the market.

Following similar requests, over the previous 2 years, Nu-Star had developed a larger version of their existing Super Power Pusher unit & were able to offer the Dual Motor Super Power Pusher for this application. This newest product is powered by two 1.5Kw DC electric motors and creates over 14,000 Newtons of pushing force. It is ideally suited to this type of application where an extremely high starting torque is required to overcome the rolling resistance of the load.

After 18 months of successful operation & favourable feedback from their staff on the shop-floor,  Egytech purchased an addition unit in August 2010 to help meet increased rates of production in their factory. Subsequent units have also been purchased through 2012 & 2013

Commenting on the purchases, Mr. Wael Farag (Egytech, Corporate Foreign Procurement) explained, “The Nu-Star Drum Pusher seems quite unique in the market place and is perfect for our requirements. It is very durable and has all the power we need to move our larger cable drums. Compared to other alternatives, such as a forklift truck, it is significantly smaller and cheaper and there are no fumes to consider when using it inside the factory. It’s extremely easy to operate and is very much safer than trying to move these drums by hand.

The staff are very happy with the machines and Nu-Star have given us good service.”

The Dual Motor Super Power Pusher is the latest addition to the range of pedestrian operated, electric tug units designed and manufactured by Nu-Star.

With manufacturing locations in Derbyshire, UK (www.nu-starmhl.com) – serving the EU, Middle East & Australasian markets and also in Minneapolis, USA (www.nustarinc.com) – serving the N. & S. American & Canadian markets & a growing list of global distributors, Nu-Star is able to offer both standard & bespoke solutions for the movement of heavy loads across many industrial sectors.

Home » News » Nu-Star expand into purpose-built new factory

Nu-Star expand into purpose-built new factory

As a result of continuing strong growth in both domestic and international sales, Nu-Star have recently completed their move into a brand new purpose-built factory in Ednaston, Derbyshire. (The new factory is called “Lakeside” due to its proximity to a series of landscaped lakes that border the site).

Designed by Nu-Star and completed in just 18 weeks from the start of ground works, “Lakeside” is more than twice as big as Nu-Star’s previous factory and has been designed to enable further quick expansion to both shopfloor and office accommodation, as required.

Nu-Star’s Managing Director, Matt Smith, commented; “We are all very excited to finally move into these new premises, particularly so as the location is literally next door to where we were previously based. Most importantly, this means we have been able to retain all our existing staff and now have modern, spacious manufacturing facilities and office space to grow the company, accommodate new staff and continue to drive our product development.

We can also further reduce our manufacturing lead time and launch several new products that we have had in development over the last 18 months.”

“Lakeside” has also been designed to facilitate a quick Phase 2 & 3 expansion later in 2014/15. Phase 2 for the build of an additional mezzanine floor to include conference room, design office, staff rest area and a specific electrical/wiring work area. Phase 3 will further enlarge the quality, production & shipping departments”.

Roy Underwood (Manufacturing Team Leader) observed; “The company has invested a lot of money with new pit-installed lift tables, epoxy painted floor, new forklift & racking, and new tools. It all helps us build the machines more easily and we can really concentrate on the quality of the product.”

Home » News » NEW Electric Wheelbarrow from Nu-Star MHL

NEW Electric Wheelbarrow from Nu-Star MHL

Nu-Star is proud to announce the launch of their first product in a new range of small electric vehicles – The Multiple Utility Vehicle (MUV). A pedestrian operated, battery-powered, electric wheelbarrow.

Shown here with the Wheelbarrow module, MUV was initially conceived in response to requests from our Distributor and Re-seller network for a machine that was sufficiently rugged and reliable for frequent use in the Agriculture and Construction sectors. We have applied our specialist knowledge from the broader Material Handling sector to develop a new pedestrian-operated electric vehicle, on which a range of innovative modular designs may be quickly interchanged.

Features such as industrial sealed-for-life gel batteries, foam-filled puncture-proof tyres, on-board (waterproof) multi-voltage battery charger for global operation, programmable motor controller and electrically powered lift/tip have been taken from our existing range of industrial electric tugs.

Nu-Star’s Managing Director, Matt Smith, explained; “The wheelbarrow is one of the oldest and simplest devices used in and around the house & garden and on building sites across the world. Anybody that has spent a day ‘wheelbarrowing’ will know just how difficult and tiring it can be according to the aches and pains experienced the next morning! It is not just the pushing and pulling involved that requires a lot of effort, lifting & tipping the wheelbarrow, when emptying, require additional effort & place strain on the upper body and back. This is our 21st Century interpretation of the device & encapsulates much of what we have learnt & achieved from our activity in the industrial material handling sector over the last 12 years.”

Developed and field-tested over the last 18 months, MUV – Electric Wheelbarrow is now available for both Sale, short & long-term Hire.

Further modules are currently being developed & tested and will be announced over coming months as the MUV range is expanded.

Home » News » MUV product range expanded with new Trailer Mover module

MUV product range expanded with new Trailer Mover module

A pedestrian operated solution for moving trailers

Following quickly on the from the successful launch of the new MUV product range, Nu-Star is delighted to announce the launch of their latest Trailer Mover module.

Specifically designed to enable a single pedesterian operator to move trailers in the 1,000Kgs – 2,000Kgs weight range, the MUV-Trailer Mover is fitted with a quick-change 50mm Ball Hitch or, Towing Eye/Pin attachment.

Nu-Star’s Matt Smith explained; “We are often asked if it is possible to simply fit a Ball Hitch to one of our Power Pushers so the user can move trailers around in manufacturing operations, storage yards and in specific applications where it is not possible to use a vehicle or, a forklift truck. The Power Pusher is not the correct machine for this application because the connection point needs to be directly above the drive-axle and therefore requires at least three wheels to be in contact with the ground at any one time for stability.

One of the primary design criteria for our new MUV range of electric tugs was to offer a module that enabled small industrial trailers to be quickly hitched up and moved around. We have designed the MUV in such a way that, within 5 minutes, it can be either an electric wheelbarrow or, by simply swapping the tub over, it can be an electric trailer mover.”

Home » News » MUV product range expanded with new Trolley Retrieval module

MUV product range expanded with new Trolley Retrieval module

A pedestrian operated solution for retrieving & collecting trolleys

Further widening their new MUV range of industrial electric tug solutions, Nu-Star is delighted to announce the launch of their latest Trolley Retrieval module.

Specifically designed to enable a single pedesterian operator to collect and retrieve trolleys in supermarket car parks, airports, shopping centres, shopping malls and other similar locations, the MUV-Trolley Retrieal is fitted with an adjustable front attachment which can be quickly set to capture the rear castors of a single trolley, thereby enabling subsequent trolleys to be ‘nested’ to the front of the machie and create a line of trolleys.

When empty the MUV is operated by hand from the tillerhead and when loaded the operator steers the line of trolleys from the front and operates the MUV tug by radio control.

Home » News » MUV Electric Wheelbarrow wheels away inefficiency

MUV Electric Wheelbarrow wheels away inefficiency

The new MUV Electric Wheelbarrow, or mini-dumper, from Nu-Star Material Handling not only allows operators to transport heavy loads with ease, it eliminates the unnecessary ergonomic challenges and production halts associated with traditional wheelbarrow solutions. Furthermore, the savings made in reduced labour and enhanced efficiency ensure rapid return on investment in sectors that include construction, industrial, agriculture, horticulture, landscaping and gardening.

Demanding industries such as construction call for increased profitability and efficiency, while at the same time protecting workers from over-exertion. The MUV Electric Wheelbarrow eliminates the pushing and pulling required when using a conventional manual wheelbarrow and, since it has a push-button operated electric dump (capable of tipping loads up to 350kg), it also removes the lifting effort required when emptying/dumping a wheelbarrow.

With a choice of either 800W or 1,200W DC electric drive motors, the MUV Electric motorised Wheelbarrow is virtually noise free in its operation, making it ideal for internal use and in areas where noise-pollution is a concern for local residents.

Since there are no handle-bar vibrations to cause Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or ‘dead finger’ the Electric Wheelbarrow may be used without having to assess this potential risk to the operator (http://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/advicetoemployers/assessrisks.htm).

The MUV Electric Wheelbarrow is available with both moulded industrial plastic and galvanized steel tubs, which may be interchanged by removing locking detent pins on the sub-frame. Other attachments, such as a flat-bed for transporting bricks, tiles and blocks are also available.

Power comes from two 12V, 90AHr batteries, each is sealed-for-life and maintenance-free. The waterproof battery charger is fitted on-board and may be connected to either a 220V or 110V power supply. The batteries and battery charger are matched to enable opportunity charging, at any point in the charging cycle, thereby considerably extending run-time. A coloured, LED battery-charge indicator gauge on the control panel clearly shows the battery state.

Featuring a highly manoeuvrable design, the MUV Electric Wheelbarrow is operated using an infinitely variable, twist-grip throttle on the right handle in conjunction with a forwards/backwards direction switch on the control panel. Maximum speed is up to 4.6km/h for the 800W version and up to 6km/h for 1,200W version. An additional ‘tortoise’ mode switch on the control panel reduces maximum forward speed by 50% to enable inch-perfect positioning when activating the electric-tip and to help achieve a graduated release of the wheelbarrow contents.

The front drive wheels and rear swivelling castor are fitted with industrial foam-filled tyres, making them puncture-proof and impervious to the nails/screws and sharp objects often found  littering construction sites. In addition to regenerative braking provided by the 125Amp motor controller, there is a 6Nm electromagnetic brake for holding the wheelbarrow when on slopes and when in transit between locations.

Typical uses for the MUV Electric Wheelbarrow include:

• Internal and external construction projects
• Barrowing concrete from roadside concrete mixer lorries
• Crop harvesting in glasshouses and poly-tunnels
• External landscaping projects
• Moving feedstuffs in stables and ‘mucking out’

No driving licence is required to use the powered wheelbarrow, which may be loaded quickly into a van or onto a trailer using three scaffold planks, a tail-lift or ramp.

The MUV Electric Wheelbarrow is available for both Sale and Hire, direct from the OEM.

Nu-Star will be displaying the MUV Electric Wheelbarrow on stand X46 at The Executive Hire Show, taking place on the 11^th and 12^th February 2015 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK.

Further information is available on request to:

Nu-Star Material Handling Ltd,
Lakeside,
Ednaston Business Centre,
Ednaston,
Derbyshire
DE6 3AE

Tel: 0115 880 0070
Fax: 0115 880 0071

e-mail: [email protected]
www.nu-starmhl.com

Home » News » Nu-Star launch Dual Motor Super Power Pusher

Nu-Star launch Dual Motor Super Power Pusher

In response to strong demand from both the Railway & Cable sectors and after 15 months of development, Nu-Star Material Handling have broadened their range of industrial load movers with the launch of the new Dual-Motor Super Power Pusher.

Powered by two x 1.5Kw DC electric motors (both with integrated gearboxes and differentials), two x 200Amp motor controllers & three x 90AHr military-grade Gel batteries, the machines are built around a custom 10mm steel chassis in order to cope with the high levels of starting torque created.

In standard form, the machine generates up to 14,400N of Pushing force.

In High Torque form, there is up to 16,600N of Pushing Force available to the operator.

(As a comparison, the MY2013 diesel powered V8 Range Rover creates 700N)

Nu-Star’s Technical Director, Steve Mather, explained:

“Over the last 3 years we have received an increasing number of enquiries from both existing and new customers seeking to push bigger and heavier loads. As manufacturers seek out ever more economies of scale, their products and projects seem to be getting bigger every year. We found that the requirements were exceeding the capabilities of our standard Super Power Pusher and so we set out to see if we could provide a similar sized machine but with more power.

It was technically challenging to fit all the components into the space available but, the biggest challenge was to find a DC motor controller that could provide the current required. Eventually we worked with our supplier to increase the power and to ‘Duplex’ two of the motor controllers so that each drive motor responds simultaneously – something never done before apparently.

In the testing phase, we had to significantly strengthen our test-jig (which we use to record the performance of the machines) as, on the first attempt to measure the push force, it ripped the jig clean out of its concrete foundations.

The product has been extremely successful from the day we launched it and is now in daily use in industries such as Mining, Rail manufacturing, Rail servicing & Cable manufacturing.”