When it looks like there’s no way to move a heavy component or abnormally large module, Maxim Crane’s Heavy Haul team finds a way to make things happen.
There are just some jobs that require the movement of over-dimensional/overweight or breakbulk equipment or components. In many cases, these are highly sensitive pieces as well that cost an extraordinary amount, which calls for a true engineered transport solutions expert.
This is what the Heavy Haul Division at Maxim Crane specializes in. Complex jobs that require not just specialized lifting equipment, but the in-house engineering knowledge, experience and project management to move some truly heavy stuff.
It’s a particular specialty within the heavy lifting and transport solutions field that attracted Allen Wenturine, who has more than 20 years of experience in focusing on the unique craft of moving major equipment, components and pieces for industrial and infrastructure projects.
“Much of our work involves the construction of new power plants and supporting refinery and petrochemical plant turn-arounds,” said Wenturine, who joined Maxim Crane back in 2015.
Based in central Florida, Wenturine stresses that the Heavy Haul Division is not necessarily focused on moving a piece of equipment over the road to a job site. Maxim can do that, but OTR transportation is not it’s focus. Nor is it about simply cargo logistics. Rather the way to think about Maxim’s Heavy Haul team is the engineered solutions that are needed to install or remove and replace a large turbine, generator or steam component while managing and mitigating the risk associated with the handling of high value equipment.
“Imagine moving a generator into place at a power plant that weighs a million pounds,” said Wenturine. “That’s where we come in – to apply alternative lifting tools and solutions to move a high-value, heavy piece of equipment or component that may be unfeasible for large crawler cranes to rough set.”
Or, for that matter, the skilled knowledge and experience of moving such objects.
For these types of jobs, the Heavy Haul Division utilizes hydraulic gantry and stator frame systems, self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT), and jack and slide systems.
What It Is, and Isn’t
Wenturine actually refers to Heavy Haul as Engineered Lifting and Transport Solutions (ELTS). Through ELTS, Maxim Crane offers engineered solutions for major component replacement, and specialized lifting and transportation of equipment that complements the firm’s crane services.
The division is focused primarily on industrial applications and infrastructure verticals, as well as MegaProjects.
Many projects handled by Maxim Crane’s Heavy Haul Division focus on infrastructure applications, such as Heavy Civil, Wind Power (onshore and offshore), Ports, and Airports, as well as industrial applications, such as Power Plants, Petrochemical plants, Refineries, and Steelmaking/Manufacturing Plants.
To give you a sense of the typical project that the Heavy Haul team works on, Wenturine points to a project several years ago – where Maxim rolled on several massive coal conveyer components at a port in south Florida. The project involved multiple gantry systems, 60 lines of Goldhofer, as well as large all-terrain cranes.
Because of the nature of the Heavy Haul’s work, it requires specialized equipment. A sample of the Heavy Haul Division’s equipment includes:
- 40 to 700-ton Gantry with power links
- 500-ton jack and slide systems
- Goldhofer SL with 60 lines
- Scheuerle SPMT with 52 lines
- Heavy barge ramps and platforms
- 400+ heavy storage stands
- Heavy skates, specialized hydraulic jacks, and machinery moving equipment
“We have many tools in our toolbox to help us develop engineered lifting and transport solutions for just about any situation we encounter,” said Wenturine, which gives Maxim the flexibility to work on a wide scale of projects.
Managing Time and Risk
To Wenturine, what his team does best is manage time. When you break a project down, it’s literally about how many moves and how many lifts are being conducted – such as in the construction of a new semiconductor manufacturing plant. It’s about moving the right component, at the right time, in the right place, in the right order – all to save the customer time and to get their project completed as safely and efficiently as possible.
When supporting a refinery turnaround or delivering and rough-setting new equipment, it’s about efficiency and minimizing downtime.
And this is where the skill, knowledge and expertise of the Heavy Haul’s team comes in – knowing the right tools to use at the right time to obtain the optimal result for the customer.
“Everything we move has value,” said Wenturine. “We look at the value we add by our ability to safely, reliably, and efficiently meet our customers’ expectations.”
And that’s where experience counts as Wenturine points to the field leaders of the Heavy Haul team such as Scott Gargus, operations manager, and Billy Tinch, the team’s lead foreman. “Each has 20+ years of heavy rigging and transport experience.”
