GGR performs dazzling lift for Leeds Christmas tree

GGR was recently commissioned to help bring some Christmas cheer to Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre, whilst lifting a giant, 66ft Christmas tree into place.

A UNIC URW-506 was central to the lift, where the Christmas tree had to be lifted in ten separate layers, with the heaviest weighing up to 100kg. Of course, this was no problem for the URW 506 which boasts a maximum lifting capacity of 3 tonnes, ensuring the lift was completed with efficiency and ease.

The tree, which weighed in at a huge 424kg in total, contains 25,000 lights and illuminates when two people kiss beneath it – their lips complete a circuit which activates the entire display.

With a chassis of 1.4 metres wide, the 506  could easily fit through the double doorway access  and was tracked across plywood board to protect the flooring in order to reach the lift site at the centre of the shopping complex. The individual sections of the tree were situated on the upper first floor and were then carefully lifted down to the ground floor, before being placed directly on to the base of the tree for fitting.

The URW-506 spider crane features radio remote control and a safe load indicator that enables the operator to pre-define the working area for better control in sensitive environments. Additional safety features includes an overwinding alarm, computer controlled intelligent voice warning system, intelligent throttle activation and audio-visual warning device.

Thanks to a bit of mini crane magic, Trinity Shopping Centre was spruced up ready for the Grand Christmas light Switch on, on the 5^thof November 2016.