Some of the world’s biggest football stars grace the pitch at Old Trafford for every Manchester United fixture, with almost 80,000 people clambering into the stadium to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
But this also creates the unique safety and security consideration of how to move the fans on to the pitch in the event of an emergency.
Thanks to the innovative use of locking technology, Trimec has supplied its ES6000 hook lock to help sink the LED advertising boards that surround the pitch, quickly and safely.
Representing a fast and effective way of dropping the boards into the ground, the ES6000 locks in the same way that it would on a swinging or sliding door to keep the advertising boards in place, meaning that when the latch bolt is electronically withdrawn or unlocked, they simply drop into specially built trenches.
Sturdy and robust
A side load product that operates freely under 300 kg of pressure, the ES6000’s sturdy frame and robust stainless steel design means that even the overzealous celebrations of a goal scorer will not cause the system to operate unexpectedly.
Andrew Curley of O’Neill Modern Media, the company that makes the advertising boards, said: “It has been a challenge for us to find an effective way of lowering the LED screens into the floor, but using the Trimec ES6000 means they can be retracted in a matter of seconds.
“The stadium control room can lower the boards in sections in front of each stand, or all together. It has also become a vital part of the pre-match security procedure, as ‘The Stadium Plan’ stipulates that it has to be checked thoroughly before each game.”
Andy Stolworthy, product manager for Trimec, said: “This is an unusual application and thankfully Trimec had a product to suit.
“The ES6000 is now a vital part of the safety procedures at one of the most iconic and high profile sporting venues in the world, which can only reinforce the overall quality and reliability that Trimec products offer.”
