Commencing in June 2026, the project involved the lifting, dismantling, transportation and preparation for export of a 2,000Ton Rotem press, a CNC machine, two compressors and a cooling tower. Each item required careful handling and preparation to ensure safe movement from the original site in Pretoria through to the international shipping phase.

To safely remove the press from its location Vanguard utilised a 600 ton hydraulic lifting gantry system. The gantry provided a precise and efficient lifting solution, to securely handle the heavy components during the dismantling stage. However, an additional complexity for the project involved the factory floor being too weak to withstand the weight of the press during transition. Therefore, significant structural reinforcement had to be applied using a custom scaffolding arrangement in all the transportation and staging areas. Once the floor was secure enough for each load to pass through safely, the components were loaded onto 6 axle PST trailers to be transported to the designated staging area.

Following the dismantling and safe transport to the staging area, the cargo was prepared for shipping using sheets and wooden crate packaging, designed to protect the components throughout the subsequent transportation and shipping phases.

Once all components were suitably packaged and protected they were then prepared for onward transportation to the Port of Richards Bay, with the larger loads transported on a 10 axle modular trailer. Once all the components were at the port and suitably arranged they were safely loaded onto the vessel and shipped to their final destination in Mexico.

The project required careful consideration of the size, weight and individual characteristics of each item, with the press crown alone weighing over 200 ton before being stripped down to 100 ton for transportation. Vanguard’s experience in heavy lift and project cargo operations enabled the equipment to be safely dismantled, handled and prepared for export within the project schedule.

By managing the operation from the initial dismantling through to transportation and shipping, Vanguard provided a fully integrated solution, reducing the complexity associated with coordinating multiple contractors and ensuring continuity across each stage of the project.

“This project demonstrates Vanguard’s ability to provide complete, end to end solutions for complex industrial and automotive equipment. From the initial dismantling and heavy lifting through to specialist sea freight packaging, transportation and project cargo shipping, our team managed every stage of the operation to ensure the equipment was handled safely, efficiently and in line with the project requirements.” Marius Tembo, Engineer at Vanguard.