Celebrating 15 years in business, Mastiff Engineering Ltd is one of Ireland’s leading rigging companies specialising in moving, lifting and fitting large equipment and machinery by using safe work systems that have been developed over the years.
Heavy lift, Rigging, Hiab, Haulage and Hire are the name of the game for this exceptional and highly-regarded Taghmon, Co. Wexford-based company which was set up in 2007 by brothers Kevin and PJ Whitty, who have over 60 years’ combined experience in the industry. Employing over 100 people, Mastiff Engineering provides services to a large portfolio of clients within the pharmaceutical, IT & data, food & beverage, medical, construction and energy sectors.
The company is constantly growing and diversifying, and recently extended services to include Hiab & Haulage services, including the transportation of abnormal loads. With a variety of trailer types available, including two, three and four-axle extendable low loaders, wide, high, long and heavy loads can be transported by Mastiff’s experienced and component drivers from point of collection to destination.
Mastiff’s haulage team will organise the required permits, traffic management, route planning and vehicle and garda escorts applicable to the load size and transport route. Planning and preparation are key to transporting abnormal loads and, as a client, you’re guaranteed an unrivalled service. Mastiff works directly with local authorities and the Gardaí to ensure full compliance with RSA regulations.
In addition to the transportation element of a project, Mastiff can offer clients the option of removal, loading, unloading and final positioning services.
“We’ve invested heavily in new trucks, trailers, lifting devices, rigging gear and equipment to provide a complete rigging and heavy lifting service for our growing customer-base,” says Office Manager of Operations, Mary Lawless.
“We offer Hiab and haulage services, transportation of loads, including abnormal loads, hire of spider cranes, roto telehandlers and forklifts with an operator, load testing of lifting beams, GA certification of lifting tackle and rigging gear, PAT testing and training services.
“These services are delivered by a top-class team of highly-qualified, experienced and competent personnel, including lift supervisors, banksmen riggers, machine operators, general operatives, truck drivers and task supervisors. They are supported in the office by Joanne Whitty, Cathy Colfer, Catherine French and I who organise the Health & Safety procedures and deal with customer feedback among other things.
“It’s vitally important to act on customer feedback as we’re continually learning and perfecting our work systems. It also helps us with staff training, especially when it comes to abnormal load transportation which is still a relatively new area for us. We’re working towards achieving ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Management accreditation.”
Mastiff Engineering supplies licensed Hiab and haulage services nationwide. Its modern fleet includes articulated, rigid and pick-up trucks as well as a range of trailers suited to transporting a diversity of load types. From flat to extendable / low bed extendable low loaders and curtainside trailers, loads of up to 48,000kg and 20m in length can be transported. The Wexford company’s professional truck drivers are experienced in loading, tying down loads and offloading an assortment of load types, including pipes and pipe racks, containers, cabins, tanks and skids, structural steel, factory lines, generators, compressors and heavy machinery.
Furthermore, Mastiff’s PM and Cormach Hiab cranes have the capacity to lift and load weights of up to 21,000kg. Its transportation services are carried out in compliance with the Irish Road Haulage Conditions of Carriage. All vehicles are tested and certified in compliance with the CVRT test and RSA regulations.
The family-run business has earned an enviable reputation for its lifting specialist services. From basic to complex lifts, the Mastiff team has the solution you’re looking for. With experience working within a range of industries, lifting and fitting a variety of large machinery and equipment into position, no job is too big or too difficult for its riggers.
The team are experts in tandem lifting which involves the simultaneous use of more than one lifting device to bring a piece of equipment to the chosen position or chosen orientation, e.g. horizontal to vertical. Depending on the way an item is packed for transportation, offloaded onsite or currently positioned will determine the way it will be lifted.
Mastiff has experience pairing lifting devices such as cranes, 360 telehandlers, forklifts, Hiab cranes and spider cranes with varying lifting capacities. By forging solid relationships with some of the most reputable crane and hire companies in Ireland, Mastiff can offer the most competitive rates available.
Space restriction is often problematic when planning a lift. To this end, the company can offer solutions to height restrictions, access and egress restrictions, floor openings, confined space work and work within cleanroom areas as well as many others with limited interruption to existing good manufacturing practices or services in the area.
Lifting and shifting items up and down stairs, and the internal movement of items through various floor levels within a building can be achieved using approved and recognised safe work systems.
“We have an array of lifting equipment which can operate within tight or restricted areas,” Mary continues.
“There’s a growing demand for our spider cranes, while we’re also one of the few providers of air skates which are very useful for lifting and moving units in cleanroom areas, for example pharma equipment.
Load testing of structural steel and structural lifting beams can be provided onsite by Mastiff’s qualified and competent inspectors. The Safe Working Load (SWL) will be determined and GA certification will be provided for a minimum period of six months. Test and certification of all lifting gear is available at the most competitive market rates.
Mechanical and Electrical installations is another company speciality. It has developed specialist techniques over the years to lift, move, transport, install and relocate everything from air handling units (AHUs), tanks and skids, dryers and drying systems, boilers, chillers, compressors and pumps to heat exchangers, electric panels, control panels, transformers, flight simulators and structural steel.
From bidding to planning to the execution of a project, the needs of its clients are paramount at Mastiff. The Mastiff team works with clients both on and off site to guarantee projects are completed within the agreed schedule and that all Health & Safety requirements are provided for, and meet the standard set for each individual site.
“We enjoy an excellent relationship with our suppliers and would like to thank them for accommodating us and working with us. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our clients for their support and loyalty, and our staff for their hard work, dedication and skill,” Mary concludes.
Mastiff Engineering Ltd
Main Street,
Taghmon,
Co. Wexford,
Y35 FH5H.
Telephone: 053 9183 604 / 053 9183 587
Mobile: 087 972 0519 (Kevin) / 087 210 7840 (PJ)
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.mastiffengineering.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, April 2022, Vol 8 No 4
