Innovative Pipe Lifting Kit | Boost Efficiency and Reduce Costs for Pipeline Contractors

1. In 2012, the Pipeline Industryhasbeenverydepressed. Itlookedlike the world would come to an end. Many companies went out of business. To react to thisdownturn, wehavetripledourefforts. We are nowproud to presentthreenew and innovative products thatwehaveadded to ourproductrange last year ! PIPE LIFTING KIT HAMMER MULETRAX 2300 C

2. Pipe Lifting Kit

3. Background Pipelaying has always been a very special job, and Pipeline Contractors are very specialized and unique, with specific expertise and savoir-faire. Manufacturers of Pipeline equipment have followed the requirements set forth by Operators and Contractors, designing and developing products which are fully dedicated to the Pipeline application, as well as providing traditional earthmoving machines for all those operations that involve right-of-way preparation and maintenance, trenching and back-filling. On Pipeline jobsite, we normally see Pipelayers – machines which are derived from the traditional track-type bulldozer and designed to meet the specific requirement of laying the pipe inside the trench with high speed and efficiency, and in a safe and comfortable manner. However, the machine most commonly found on on-shore cross-country Pipeline projects is by far the tracked Excavator. These machines have the primary task of digging the trench, in the fastest and most economical way. With the advent of hydraulics in the late sixties, Excavators have further extended their range of application and can now perform economically in the hardest applications, while providing the reliability that Contractors seek even in the most remote locations, all over the world.

4. Problem & Opportunity Operators and Contractors are today more demanding and focused on improving their efficiency and increasing safety and respect for the environment in their operations. The search for efficiency in particular is calling for tremendous efforts to reduce operational costs, hence a better utilization of assets. My idea has always been to create something innovative that could bring progress and changes to improve the working conditions and productivity of our sector. That is the background behind the idea of using the Excavator to create a new type of machine, that could at the same time reduce the costs for the Contractors and increase their efficiency in some specific portions of their operations.

5. The Concept When used in confined areas or on tie-ins, or when mobility of equipment is a requirement and job-sites present features such as electric power lines or bridges, the use of the traditional Pipelayer becomes awkward and unpractical. Our New Pipe Lifting Kit lets you turn a standard excavator of any brand, new or used into a pipelayer in just a few quick easy steps, using the original boom of the excavator, with a considerable saving of time compared with the other kits available on the market. In addition, it offers a quiet, comfortable and safe environment for the operator, with great visibility on the working area And finally, it provides Contractors with the possibility of using an Excavator in two different applications without the need to disassembled the excavator boom.

6. The Solution • The pipe lifting kit consists of a frame onto which a hydraulic winch is fitted. Once the stick and its hydraulic cylinder are removed from the excavator boom, the kit can be mounted on the boom, using the original pin that normally secures the hydraulic cylinder and connected onto the same hydraulic circuit. 2. As mentioned in point 1, the original hydraulic system is maintained, with only slight modifications. This way, the operator can use the Sideboom functions with the original joy sticks of the machine. OLD SOLUTION LAURINI NEW SOLUTION 3. On our New Kit, there are no working or transport positions. Using the original boom of the excavator there is no need to position the machine to fix the structure on the undercarriage frame, as the other transformation kits need.

7. Additional Features Installing this New Kit requires only about 8 hours of work by two technicians, with the aid of hoisting equipment. The operator enjoys a modern, comfortable, ergonomic and quiet working environment. In addition, his visibility on the working area is outstanding. Hence, he is also safer and more productive. Thanks to the 360 degrees rotation capability, the New Kit is ideal for pipe yards, support to bending machines and many other applications. An excavator equipped with this New Kit does not require any disassembly and re-assembly operation in order to be transported to a different location along the jobsite. This represents an important advantage compared to traditional pipelayers, allowing considerable savings on logistic costs (time, labor, truck cranes). This is particularly important in the "tie-in" stage when, especially on European worksites, it is necessary to load the pipelayers several times a day.

8. Summary of Benefits • Summing up, the advantages of the New Pipelayer Kit are as follows: • Can be applied to every type and brand of excavator, new or used. • Ease of transformation of base excavator • Transportation is easier and less costly (less assembly/disassembly) • Modern, operator & environment friendly and EC compliant system • Versatility in certain applications, due to 360 degrees rotation • Comfort and safety for the operator • Itisprice competitive compared to otherexcavator-basedtransformationssystems