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IPAF has awarded Scanclimber® by Tractel® multiple times because of its industry-leading in rack and pinion-based vertical access solutions.
The IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) is a non-profit organization that promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide. IPAF provides technical advice and information, through influencing and interpreting legislation, standards and safety initiatives, and training programs. Every year, IPAF awards companies in the powered access industry for the best practices, product innovations, and several other categories called the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs). Our history with the IAPAs dates back to 2013, which marked our first-time entry into the awards. Scanclimber® by Tractel®’s appearance and accomplishments at the IAPAs have been a constant ever since.
2013
In the year 2012, Scanclimber® by Tractel® was handling the Eiffel tower renovation project in Paris. The Eiffel Tower’s first level had not been renovated for 30 years, and the Eiffel Tower needed more restaurant space.
On level one in the Eiffel tower, there was no space available for working, and transportation of materials to level one was almost impossible. These factors, combined with the vast crowd visiting the Eiffel tower daily and the limited ground-level space, made vertical access use and installation challenging.
Vinci Company, Bateg, won the contract with the help of Scanclimber® by Tractel® and its French rental partner Sky Acces. Sky Access installed two twin units of SC8000 with a significant additional middle platform section used between them. This arrangement of the twin units created a working space that was 24.1 m long and 6.6 m wide. To make it more concrete, that is the size of a tennis court, but at the height of 50 m.
Creating a working space at that height and complying with the safety and environmental regulations was no mean feat, which judges rightfully identified at the IAPAs. The Eiffel tower project and SC8000 installation as a product were our first entries at the IAPAs, and IPAF recognized them both successfully.
Awards won:
- Product of the year SC8000
- Access Project of the year
2014
Our product portfolio includes a cluster of mast climber extensions and add-ons meant to provide access to complex façade structures. The Double-Decker is a dynamically aligning platform that makes it easier and quicker to perform surface work on curved and arched surfaces. As the name suggests, the double-decker has two working levels fixed on top of the other. The double-decker moves up and down along with the platform. It also moves horizontally outwards to the platform up to 2 meters. The upper and lower decks are equipped with electrical drives, and the users can operate them with a remote pendant.
A standardized version of Double-Decker, Sliding Deck Extension played a vital role in the façade works done on one of our important projects, the Amager Bakke waste to energy management plant in Denmark.
Here’s a glimpse of the double-decker platform:
The double-decker is not a standard product. However, a standardized version of this product is also a part of our product catalog and is called the sliding deck extension. In 2014, the Jury awarded the double-decker at the IAPAs.
Awards won:
- Product of the year- Double Decker
2015
Malaysia is home to many skyscrapers, and the IB Tower in Kuala Lumpur is one of them. Standing at the height of 276 m, it is the fifth tallest building in Malaysia. Designed by Sir Norman Foster of London, the IB Tower consists of 60 floors of offices, services, and apartments. The tower’s stunning design, which is striking and visually appealing, will be hard to overlook when traveling on the main roads in the city.
In 2013, Scan-Rent, Scanclimber® by Tractel®’s partner in Malaysia, received the contract to provide mast climbers for the cladding works on the IB towers. The job required 40 units of SC4000 mast climbers. Scan-Rent finished the project in 2014. IP Tower project was proof of the Scanclimber® by Tractel® product’s capabilities on high-rise buildings and won the title of the project of the year at the IAPAs 2015.
Awards won:
- Project of the Year
2017
Our partnership with Scan-Rent, Malaysia, led again to one unique product innovation of counter-balanced extensions on the Fennel Project in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. The Fennel Project is an iconic landmark consisting construction project of four 150-meter blocks in Sentul, Malaysia. Each block has 38 floors and altogether comprising 458 apartments. The main challenge in this project was the wavy zig-zag shape of the towers, making it difficult to access the façade using scaffolding or standard mast climbing work platforms. To access the façades with traditional mast climbers was not possible. Those demands sparked the planning of the counter-balanced extension at Scanclimber® by Tractel®.
The counter-balanced extension has two independently moving decks that can outreach 4 m away from the central platform. These decks move separately back and forth using either manual or optional electrical controls.
You can see the counter-balanced extensions in action here:
In 2018, IPAF held IAPAs held in Miami. Three hundred industry professionals attended the event. IPAF rewarded the counter-balanced extension with the product of the year award. The Jury stated that it was “One of the most innovative Mast Climbing Work Platform products we have seen and extending the possible applications for several of the company’s existing products.”
Awards won:
- Product of the year- Counter Balanced Extension
2020
We try to design our products best in class in the relevant metrics of vertical access machinery, vis.a.vis, payload capacity, platform lengths, and anchoring heights. The Heavy Duty mast climber (HD MCPW) system, which we introduced in 2019 at Bauma, was developed to strengthen our position as the best in class. The HD MCWP can be used freestanding up to a height of 30 m and up to 55 m with one single top anchor. The HD MCWP is intended for high-rise projects that require minimum (anchoring) interference with the building structures. The IAPAs in 2021 was an online event with over 1000 industry professionals participating from 70 countries. The HD MCWP was deemed the product of the year and was touted as “an incredibly innovative product” and praised for its ease of use. This award is the sixth win at the IAPAs in the last eight years.
Awards won:
- Product of the year- HD MCWP
The hits and the misses
Since we submitted our first application to the IAPAs in 2013, we have participated in the IAPA Awards contest a total of 8 times. The Jury has shortlisted every entry we have made at the IAPAs. The products that were shortlisted but did not win were:
Conclusion:
The industry trends in high-rise buildings have been very evident. Façade structures in skyscrapers are getting complex, and they require productive, easy, and safe solutions. It makes us proud that IPAF has awarded our efforts in this industry. These recognitions by IPAF to our products and projects is an endorsement of our vision and capabilities as a vertical access industry manufacturer.