A new polypropylene recycling plant in Ohio required a multi-stage transport and lift of multiple modules, process equipment vessels, and various components such as shredders/filters, extruders and candle filters.

The size and weight of the items varied considerably and included 23 modules that weighed up to 230,000 pounds, a 98’-tall vessel that weighed approximately 402,000 pounds, and candle filters that weighed 160,000 pounds each.

Transport Flexibility

While moving some of the components and vessels was relatively straightforward, the prefabricated modules required a bit more engineering and planning to optimize the multi-modal transport needs for the client.

The modules were transported from a fabricator in Texas to the plant in several ways. Some were barged and shipped up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. When the Mississippi River waters were low, Deep South identified an alternative route up the Mobile River to the Tombigbee River to the Tennessee River, which bypassed the Mississippi River completely. Once in Ohio, the barged modules were unloaded from the barges and transported via SPMT the final few miles to the job site.

For those modules that weighed less than 150,000 pounds, Deep South identified an alternate, more cost effective road route in between barge loads to save the client money. For these moves, the team relied on nine-axle Goldhofer and Scheuerle hydraulic trailers.

Lift and Lock

At the site, the heaviest lift included a 98’-tall vessel weighing approximately 402,000 pounds. A 750-ton VersaCrane™ CC-9600 crawler crane with a 400-ton Terex-Demag AC-350/6 all-terrain tailing crane helped place this vessel safely. A similar configuration lifted “candle filters” weighing 160,000 pounds each.

Other equipment used to complete the effort included the 500-ton Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1 crane, the 265-ton Liebherr LTM 1220-5.2 crane with its small five-axle footprint, the 120-ton Liebherr LTM1100-4.2 crane, as well as miscellaneous rough terrain cranes and carry decks to help position various pieces.

Throughout the effort, Deep South crews also coordinated roadway clearances with multiple onsite contractors to keep all projects moving forward at the site.

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About Deep South: Deep South Crane & Rigging is a leading provider of heavy lift and transport solutions in the refining, chemical, and energy sectors and strives to provide its customers the best tools to complete the task at hand and is home of the VersaCrane fleet. The firm offers a complete range of services, from bare crane rental to turn-key heavy lift and transport solutions to clients in North and South America. It operates out of 7 locations including Baton Rouge, LA; Sulphur, LA; New Orleans, LA; Dequincy, LA; Beaumont, TX; Houston, TX; and Catlettsburg, KY. Sister company DS Americas operates out of Bogota, Colombia. Recent recognition includes 2020 Houston Business Roundtable (HBR) Best in Class Safety Excellence Award Finalist, 2022 Best in Class Safety Excellence Award in Crane and Rigging, and 2023 Mentor Award; 2020- 2023 Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) Safety Excellence Award; 2018-2023 Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association (SCRA) Safety Award; 2018-2023 Louisiana Worker's Compensation Corporation (LWCC) Safest 70); 2021 Texas Mutual Platinum Safety Partner Award; and 2021 and 2023 Safety Council of Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Silver Level Contractor Safety Performance Award.