Prolectric Services Ltd of Lympsham, Somerset has secured a £1.2m slice of a £10m contract installing solar PV systems. The huge project from Alliance Homes (formerly North Somerset Housing) is rolling out across North Somerset and Prolectric are setting the standard in safe swift installations to ensure the strict schedule is maintained.
The family-run business has 18 years of experience in intelligent electrical systems and expanded into the renewable energy sector in February of this year. Their proven skill-set is in high demand, and their logistical efficiency enabled them to secure the contract with Alliance Homes.
There are many challenges facing PV installation teams none more so than the need to access, install and leave site on a strict schedule whilst ensuring that health and safety is maintained. Prolectric have been able to overcome this with the use of the specialised Solar-Dec Access System from Easi-Dec. Since becoming MCS accredited in February this year the company has purchased equipment for both of their fitting teams and have established a close relationship with the access specialists.
Prolectric’s Paul Beecham (Managing Director) says; “We already used towers and had good scaffolding contacts for other work, but neither of those are as flexible or convenient for fitting PV. With the Solar-Dec we’re in charge of our own destiny – we just turn up with it in our standard vans, get set up in about half an hour and we’re good to go. The problem with scaffolding is that it generally sticks an extra day or two onto a job and greatly effects profitability. You can come and go as you please and it keeps the end user happy. For example, I had an email at 6pm last night cancelling one of today’s installations but I was immediately able to reassign my team to another install – I couldn’t have got scaffolding in that quickly. I’ve just saved us a wasted day. We just love the system.”
The Solar-Dec telescopic platform can be used independently or with further platforms and Cat-Walks to provide a limitless modular working platform withedge protection. For smaller jobs Prolectric use a 2 metre dec on its own with the addition of clever Winged Gates which provide an extra 1.8 metres of edge protection. Paul goes on to say “The winged gates are really really good because on the smaller jobs it takes us only ten minutes to get up to height”.
“We’ve formed a great relationship with our Easi-Dec contact Mike Slasor. We’re pretty clued up as to how to tackle tricky access jobs now, but if ever there’s something we’re unsure about we can just give him a call. Obstructions like porches or dormers are not a problem – the system will even span a conservatory.”
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Paul believes that they have been able to use the Solar-Dec Access System on 99% of the installs they’ve done this year. The system copes with sloping ground, most narrow access scenarios, and can be lifted and shifted to cope with multiple installs. The system is available on an interest-free hire-to-buy scheme, and there is a discount structure to suit businesses as they grow in this developing market.
So the future’s very bright for Prolectric as they look to recruit more fitters as their schedule ramps up into the New Year, and with the inevitable increase in the renewables market in general. Paul’s confident that they can hold the pace, and looks forward to a continuing relationship with Easi-Dec Access Systems.
For further information on Prolectric you can visit their website www.prolectric.co.uk or call 01934 750338.
Easi-Dec Access Systems provide free demonstrations and can be contacted on 01767 691812. Alternatively visit their website at www.easi-dec.co.uk.