GGR Group, the mini crane hire specialists, have helped with some heavy lifting work at The Helix Project located near Falkirk.

The firm's Blantyre-based division sent one of its three-tonne capacity UNIC mini spider crane to assist at the waterway's new landmark – The Kelpies.

Currently under construction, The Kelpies structures stand next to The Helix's redeveloped canal lock and basin at the mouth of the Forth & Clyde canal.

GGR's compact UNIC URW-506 mini crane was selected by Scottish Canals to install the lock gates, walkways and hand rails on the site.

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The Helix is an ambitious project worth £43m and is a partnership between Scottish Canals and Falkirk Council to create a new public park, wetland, lagoon and event space, plus one kilometer of canal extension out of 350 hectares of disused ground between Falkirk and Grangemouth. It also involves the construction of a new lock system to generate greater use of the canal.

The Kelpies are two towering horse's head sculptures created by internationally acclaimed artist Andy Scott, which stand at 30 metres high and weigh 300 tonnes each. GGR Group has previously helped to install another of Andy Scott's horse sculptures using a mini crane, Equus Altus in Trinity Leeds shopping centre.

Thomas Rae, Regional Manager of GGR's Scottish branch said: "It's fantastic to be working on such fascinating examples of functional engineering and dramatic design as the The Helix and the Falkirk Wheel.

"It is on this type of challenging project that UNIC mini cranes are shown to be truly invaluable pieces of lifting equipment when space and access are extremely limited."

www.ggrgroup.com

(JP/CD)