News
Quintin Reeves Talks Trucks, Transporters and Cranes
Posted: 10/09/2018
Employee Spotlight: Quintin Reeves
Whether moving an offshore drilling rig into port or 40+ barge loads of refinery equipment across a levee, heavy hauling is more than driving big trucks. It’s challenging work that top professionals like Quintin Reeves know requires constant learning, careful planning and a resolute focus on safety.
Quintin started with Deep South Crane & Rigging in 1992 when he was just 25. When asked to reflect on those early days, Quintin freely admits, “I could drive a truck, but I had no idea what went into heavy hauling and transport. I was lucky though and worked with some of the best in the business who encouraged me to learn all I could about transporters, cranes and hauling.”
And he has been an exceptional student. His work ethic and passion for the heavy haul sector has positioned Quintin as one of only a handful of experts in the crane and transport industry.
Quintin attributes his professional success and continued excitement about the heavy haul business to the family culture of Deep South. While many members of the Deep South family contributed to his professional growth, Quintin especially credits Lawrence Allen and Mitch Landry for imparting in him the core fundamentals of the heavy haul business.
He recalls, “When I first started at Deep South, we didn’t have mechanics on the job. Lawrence was mechanically savvy, and he showed me the best way to put trucks, transporters and cranes together, and how to think through the delivery process. Mitch was my center of gravity guy. He understood human error, not mechanical failure, caused most transporter accidents. From appropriate weight distribution to crane tail swings, I learned quickly that loading and putting together trailers is hard work—and not everyone wants to do it. But I loved the challenge and dove in head first.”
Today, Quintin is considered the expert, with first-hand knowledge about the company’s heavy lift and heavy haul fleet from the VersaCranes to the self-propelled transporters that have been used to support power, energy, industrial, commercial and civil projects across the country.
He points to one project in Garyville, La. that still tops his list of the most memorable jobs. That refinery project, completed in 2008, required Deep South crews to lift and haul more than 200 pieces of equipment—including reactors, crude columns and a fractionator—roughly two miles from the barge, over railroad tracks and across a 190-foot long fabricated bridge (engineered fabricated and constructed for max intended load of 2.2 million pounds by Deep South) and then onto the designated staging area.
Quintin explains, “From the lift plans and outrigger loading tests to the ground stabilization and the construction of a new bridge, this was a complete fab-to-slab project that required our entire team to come together. It was challenging, exciting and very satisfying when we were done.”
Along with the Garyville project, Quintin has seen many crane and transport innovations at Deep South over the years as well from the first technologically advanced, high capacity VersaCrane that was able to work in restricted space to the extraordinary transport solutions that can move thousands of tons from one place to another. Quintin adds, “I used to think a 40-ton lift was huge. Now we have lift jobs of 250 tons or more, and we’re transporting 5,000- to 10,000-ton vessels.” Through every innovation, Quintin spent considerable time and energy learning the technical capabilities of them all.
Today, Quintin manages and supports all heavy transport jobs at Deep South, while maintaining the excitement about cranes and transporters he had in the beginning of his career. He concludes, “The industry has come so far since my start in 1992. We used to be primarily a crane company with a little transport. Now, both cranes and the transport systems are equally important to our ability to complete increasingly complex jobs with efficiency and safety. I don’t know how far we can go, but I can’t wait to be a part of it over the next 25 years with my Deep South family.”
“Quintin’s passion for the business and positive attitude has made him a leading expert in the heavy haul industry,” says Mitch Landry, President of Deep South. “String [as he’s known] has earned this distinction through a tireless and steadfast dedication to his craft, our customers, and Deep South.”
Quintin – Thank you for 26 years of fun and hard work! – The Landry Family
Pressed for Time
Posted:01/26/2024
A vehicle manufacturer’s large stamping press—a massive machine used for shaping body panels—is online and operational thanks to efficient installation by Deep South. The three primary components included a 181-ton press bed (27.72’ L x 16.4’ W x 13.12’ H), 250-ton press crown (28.38’ L x 16.4’ W x 13.12’ H) and a 92-ton press slide (21’ x 10.83’ x 10.5’).
Multi-Module Mission
Posted:01/22/2024
The heavy haul transport of oil and gas refinery components is always a challenge. Transporting 17 modules, all in the span of two weeks, raised the bar. The modules varied greatly in size and weight. Two of the modules exceeded 260,000 lbs., while 11 were more than 16’ high, three were more than 19’ high, and 13 had widths greater than 18’. Initially, the customer had trouble finding a company to move the modules to their site in Texas.