05/13/2025
Congrats to our client Barnhart for winning three Job of the Year Awards from the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association.
𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗖 & 𝗥𝗔 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) For a second year in a row, Barnhart Crane and Rigging Co. won three Job of the Year awards in the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association awards, including two for rigging and one for hauling.
Barnhart projects won in the rigging categories of “Less than $300,000” and “Over $3 million.” The company took top honors in in the hauling category of “160,000 to 500,000 pounds.”
In the “Less than $300,000” category, Barnhart engineers arrived at an elegant solution for a complex remove-and-replace job that included disassembling and removing an existing isophase fan at a power plant and replacing it with three sections that featured offset centers of gravity. Innovations were made to Barnhart’s custom Tipstick, a single, adjustable pick that eliminates the need for a tailing piece. The Barnhart team modified an existing 27K Tipstick to accommodate the fan sections, each of which had an unknown center of gravity, to minimize the required headroom. Designed specifically to upend smaller diameter vessels through narrow openings—in this case, an opening in the plant wall—the Tipstick was used in conjunction with several customized rigging and lifting tools, including Barnhart’s proprietary Movable Counterweight Cantilever System (MOCCS), a 75-ton Lift Systems Mobilift, a 100-ton slide and multi-lift jacks for both removal and replacement. The job was completed on time and within budget over a period of three days. Andrew Walker, of Barnhart’s Knoxville branch, presented the submission to the judging committee.
The project that earned the “Over $3 million” Job of the Year award resulted in Barnhart’s engineering team developing two all-new rigging tools that both improved efficiency of the installation and enhanced personnel safety. Engaged to facilitate the installation of 150 Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) modules at a semiconductor facility construction site, Barnhart’s engineering department sought to simplify the installation that initially called for workers to make hundreds of field welds on pipes ranging to 64 inches in diameter at a height o 26 feet. By developing proprietary Lift Tables and Jack Masters, Barnhart was able to reduce the number of workers needed, as well as the need for them to work at height. Closely coordinating with the piping and steel contractor enabled Barnhart to determine the weight, centers of gravity, support points and obstructions and allowed them to lift large footprints of pipe and steel weighing as much as 250,000 pounds while reducing the number of field welds required. Once a module was ready to be installed, Jack Masters were utilized to life the module to a height of about 40 inches. Next, the Lift Tables were set in place and used to lift the modules from 40 inches to 26 feet, where workers bolted the sections to securement plates in the ceiling. Compton Latture, Barnhart Energy Company, delivered the winning presentation.
The Job of the Year award for hauling “160,000 to 500,000 pounds” smashed records for both Barnhart and Washington State for the longest load combination ever conducted by the company as well as the longest ever permitted by the state. The job entailed removing four 400,000-pound Wärtsilä engines from storage and hauling them to a new location some 45 miles away. Barnhart employed multiple lines of self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) and a 500-ton slide and gantry to remove the engines from the storage facility and to stage dockside. Each engine measured 34 feet 2 inches by 13 feet 5 inches. The team contracted a floating crane to load and transport the engines to the Port of Olympia, where they were received via SPMT for staging. Working with city, county, and state officials, Barnhart determined the most efficient route and then designed and manufactured specialized shipping frames based on state height and weight restrictions. Barnhart then utilized an 11 by 11 GS800 girder transport system designed and fabricated by the company. Measuring more than 372 feet in length, the move was the longest permitted load in the history of Washington State as well as the longest load combination ever performed by any Barnhart team. The engines were transported in four round trips over the course of less than a month. Olaf Anderson, of Barnhart’s branch in Mt. Vernon, Washington, presented winning submission.
Barnhart President David Webster said, “It is tremendously satisfying to be recognized by our peers with these awards. We believe our engineers, riggers, and operators are the best in the industry, and their dedication and innovation are integral to Barnhart’s success. At the end of the day, though, the real reward for us is safely delivering a job on time, within budget, and above and beyond the customer’s expectations.”
Barnhart Crane & Rigging is a leading provider of heavy lifting, rigging, and specialized transportation solutions across the U.S. and Western Canada. With more than 70 branches in North America, Barnhart combines cutting-edge engineering, an extensive fleet of lifting equipment, and an innovative approach to solving complex industrial challenges. From operated crane rentals to engineered solutions for critical equipment replacements, Barnhart serves industries including refining, power generation, manufacturing, and infrastructure. Backed by one of the industry’s largest inventories of specialized lifting tools and a dedicated team of problem-solvers, Barnhart is committed to delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective solutions that minimize downtime and maximize operational efficiency.
