Custom hose reel solutions for diverse industrial needs

26 March, 2025

Redashe is recognised for its wide range of hose reels designed for industrial applications. However, what is less commonly known is the company’s ability to offer customised solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of its clients.

Dave Butler, UK Sales Manager, Hose Reels, Redashe Ltd, highlights an example of such a request which came from a nuclear power station with an unusual requirement. The initial call was for a spring rewind reel to be made from 316 stainless steel, intended for distilled water – a typical request. However, a critical detail emerged that took the request to a whole new level: the reel would be used to wash down hot fuel rods in a radioactive environment.

Butler explains that Redashe’s engineers proceeded with the usual inquiries, asking about hose length, internal diameter, end fittings, water temperature, room temperature, water pressure, and mounting position, taking detailed notes as they went. Then, Butler
says a vital question arose: “How will the hose be extended and retracted?”

The answer came quickly: “By a robotic arm, of course.” It became clear that the robotic arm would grip the nozzle at the end of the hose, activate the pump, and manoeuvre the nozzle over the fuel rod to cool it before transferring it to the cooling pond for long-term storage.

At this stage, Butler says Redashe had not yet committed to the project. Then a glimmer of hope appeared: “We already have a reel, but it recently failed. We have a drawing of it, though we can’t send you the unit—it’s highly radioactive.”

At least there was a reference point to begin working from. Redashe could replicate the original design and provide a quotation. However, the next challenge arose: “It was manufactured in 1963, and we have the information on microfiche.”

“Oh, and by the way, it must be mounted on the side and match the original dimensions exactly to fit the existing location.” For context, microfiche was once a cutting-edge method of storing technical data—miniaturised images on small transparent film that could be enlarged using a special viewer. It was used widely in the ’60s and ’70s for storing inventories, including parts for vehicles, aircraft, and railways. Today, the closest equivalent might be seen in films where journalists use microfilm viewers to sift through archived newspapers.

Butler explains that the team at the nuclear facility managed to extract a photocopy of a photograph of the microfiche and sent it over. Although the original manufacturer’s details were visible, the company had closed down decades ago.