Posted to News on 14th Nov 2006, 14:32
Bosch Rexroth to refurbish twin bascule bridge
Bosch Rexroth has won an order to undertake some major electrical and mechanical refurbishment work on the twin bascule bridge that spans a dock channel located in the centre of Lowestoft, Suffolk, on the busy A12 road.
When the Highways Agency put the project out to tender, Bosch Rexroth was one of five companies bidding to secure the contract. Valued in the region of £2.5million, not only is the contract Bosch Rexroth's single largest order in the UK to date, but it is the first time the company has acted as the main contractor on a project of this nature.
A major advantage for Bosch Rexroth in winning the contract is that it is able to offer expertise in the main areas that the project involves:
- mechanical equipment
- electrical equipment
- hydraulics
- civil engineering
Even though Bosch Rexroth is to outsource some work to sub-contractors, it is able to perform the core requirements itself. Furthermore, installing the fire alarm and the CCTV system will be Bosch Rexroth's sister company, Bosch Security Systems.
As the bridge is part of the busy A12, the major artery into Felixstowe docks, it was important that Bosch Rexroth could demonstrate that it could keep traffic moving at all times. During the work there will be overnight and some weekend closures. However, the bridge will not be closed over the weekends between April and October, or during bank holidays or major local events.
In order to facilitate the required traffic flow, Bosch Rexroth, at the bid stage, was able to demonstrate its proven technical competence with a strategy that involves old equipment working in conjunction with new equipment in order to keep the bridge operational for as much of the time as is possible. Part of this presentation referred to the work that the company had completed on Tower Bridge (of similar design) in 2002.
Work on the Lowestoft bridge is due to start in early 2007 and should be completed by early 2008.
