Being a global brand, Stigterstaal is a leading steel supplier for the shipbuilding and offshore industries. For decades, the company based near Rotterdam, the Netherlands has used Aerolift vacuum lifters to manage their extensive stock of steel plates and profiles. According to Warehouse Manager Tobi Bambacht, they remain completely satisfied with the performance of their vacuum lifters.
“At Stigterstaal, we supply steel plates and profiles to shipyards and construction companies in more than 30 countries around the world,” says Tobi Bambacht. He began at Stigterstaal as a warehouse employee and worked his way up to Warehouse Manager over time. “Our customers appreciate our huge stock of 3.2-certified steel, in-depth knowledge, and good service. We therefore aim to provide our customers with the best possible experience. We accomplish this by providing just-in-time deliveries worldwide, cutting metal sheets to size, and supplying high-quality steel with specific flow stress. We offer steel plates from stock ranging from 6 x 2 meters to 14 x 3.5 meters in size and from 4 to 250 mm thick. Some plates therefore weigh more than 20 tons. Shipbuilding typically involves the use of plates ranging from 5 to 30 mm in thickness. Since establishment in 1956, we have become the largest supplier in the Netherlands with a strong international reputation.”
Some steel plates weigh more than 20 tons.
Easy to maintain
“When I started here in 1991, we were already using two vacuum lifters from Aerolift with a lifting capacity of 8 tons. As we have grown considerably over all these years, we are currently running eight Aerolift vacuum lifters, the heaviest of which is suitable to handle 25 tons. The other ones have a lifting capacity of 16 tons. We recently sold one of the original 8-ton vacuum lifters, and it was still in good condition. The machines require very little maintenance, mainly the rubbers. Our technical department rarely reports issues with these machines, which speaks to their reliability and durability. On the rare occasions when problems do arise, they are typically related to operator handling rather than equipment malfunction.”
Modification of a vacuum lifter
“We supply our steel to well-known shipyards in the Netherlands, which remain global leaders. However, since many ships are built internationally, our sheets and profiles are distributed worldwide. For instance, we have been doing business with shipyards in Canada for many years. Meanwhile, we already have our branch not far from Toronto and are establishing a new location in Vancouver, which I visited recently. We want to use vacuum technology there too, but because the power supply in Canada is different, we are having one of our existing vacuum lifters modified at Aerolift. We will then ship it to Canada.”
Why vacuum technology?
“There is an important reason why we use vacuum technology instead of magnets for lifting. All our sheets and profiles have their identification number and we keep exact records. Therefore, we need to handle sheet by sheet, and that is fastest and easiest with vacuum lifters. Another reason is that some customers simply demand that no hooks are used to prevent damage.”
A reliable and trustworthy supplier
“We are extremely satisfied with our vacuum lifters. The machines are solid, reliable, and very easy to operate. We also really appreciate working with the Aerolift team as they honour all scheduled appointments. I consider them to be a reliable and trustworthy supplier.”
Would you also like to handle steel plates quickly, safely, and efficiently without any damage? Feel free to contact us to discuss the advantages of vacuum technology for your specific situation.
We are extremely satisfied with Aerolift vacuum lifters. The machines are solid, reliable, and very easy to operate.
Warehouse Manager Tobi Bambacht
S-series vacuum lifters
Aerolift S-series are modular vacuum lifters designed to handle loads weighing 1-30 tons.
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About aerolift
With over 60 years of experience in lifting and handling solutions for loads ranging 1 to 200 tons, we combine deep industry knowledge with innovative engineering. Since our start in precast concrete in 1963, we have expanded to serve key sectors such as metal, tunnelling, pipes, and wind energy. By asking the right questions and truly understanding industry needs, we deliver solutions that go beyond standard expectations.