Banelec has secured a major new order from Bombardier after developing an innovative ATEX-compliant personnel lifting system designed to significantly improve safety, efficiency and operational flexibility within hazardous aerospace environments.
The Brierley Hill-based engineering specialist was awarded the contract following the successful development of a mobile lifting control system capable of operating across multiple zones without the extensive disruption traditionally associated with high-risk lifting operations.
The project addressed a longstanding operational challenge where conventional lifting activity often required large sections of production space to be isolated while scaffolding was erected, safe exclusion zones established and specialist permits and personnel training put in place.
Banelec’s new solution removes much of that complexity.
The cabineted system is fully mobile, ATEX compliant and designed to be deployed rapidly across different operational areas, reducing downtime while maintaining strict safety standards within hazardous working environments.
Dean Banner, Managing Director of Banelec, said the project demonstrated the company’s strength in engineering-led problem solving rather than simply supplying equipment.
“We originally supplied seven units in 2020 for a customer Kazakhstan as a one-off job – this was about understanding the operational problem first and then engineering a solution around it,” he said.
“Historically, these types of lifting operations for personnel created major disruption. You were looking at scaffolding, cordoned-off areas, permits, specialist training requirements and significant downtime before work could even begin.”
“Taking that original solution to a customer need forward, our team developed a system that can now be moved between zones safely and efficiently while maintaining ATEX compliance. It dramatically reduces the operational burden on the customer whilst improving both flexibility and safety.”
Banner said the order reflected growing demand from major aerospace manufacturers for specialist engineering partners capable of delivering bespoke solutions to complex production challenges.
“In aerospace and highly regulated environments, customers increasingly want suppliers who can solve problems, improve productivity and reduce operational risk simultaneously,” he said.
“That’s where businesses like Banelec add real value. We’re not simply delivering a product — we’re engineering practical solutions that improve how manufacturing environments operate day to day.”
The project further strengthens Banelec’s position within the aerospace and industrial engineering sectors, where demand continues to grow for specialist ATEX-compliant systems capable of supporting safer and more efficient production operations.