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Barnhart specializes in remove and replace projects. We enjoy the challenge involved in safely extricating a component, which is often buried in a tight, congested space with limited access, and replacing it while causing minimal plant disruptions and downtime. These kinds of … Continue reading →

On Memorial Day, we will remember those in the armed forces who gave their lives for our country. We are grateful to them and to our military veterans for their service and sacrifice. Veterans are part of the Barnhart team. … Continue reading →

Creative thinking and extensive planning resulted in two 2017 Job of the Year awards for Barnhart from the Specialized Crane and Rigging Association (SC&RA). Barnhart was recognized in the categories of “Rigging Job of the Year Under $150,000” and “Hauling … Continue reading →

While Barnhart performs and documents jobs of all sizes, the massive projects involving large equipment and oversize components are often hard to capture. Words and photos can’t always do a project justice. An example was a lift of a towering … Continue reading →

Barnhart is developing an unusual niche when it comes to sports arenas. Last spring, they were involved in the lift of the world’s largest jumbotron at Bristol Motor Speedway. This week, Barnhart is in Fayetteville, Ark. to help with a … Continue reading →

Barnhart’s 32 branches are located all across the country. They include a string of Midwest locations stretching from Chicago to Lincoln, Nebraska and north into South Dakota. This Midwest presence was established in 2014, when Barnhart acquired Crane Rental and … Continue reading →

R & R projects, the remove and replace variety, are often challenging, time-sensitive jobs performed during turnarounds and outages. These are the kinds of projects we relish. During a turnaround at a refinery in California, Barnhart was given little notice on … Continue reading →

Barnhart Crane & Rigging has been selected by space agency NASA to transport components for its Space Launch System (SLS). SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket for deep-space missions. The project will involve delivery of a steel mock-up … Continue reading →

Barnhart was hired to devise an innovative lift system for a rigging project at a nuclear plant in Louisiana. The process was outlined in a recent article in Cranes Today. One of the plant’s two 35-year-old clarifiers was taken offline … Continue reading →

For most of the game during Super Bowl 51 on Monday, victory for the Atlanta Falcons seemed assured. Despite having won four previous Super Bowl titles and being three-point favorites, the New England Patriots were behind at halftime 21-3. By … Continue reading →

The adjustable rigging link system (ARLS) is a cool tool in Barnhart’s equipment arsenal. The ARLS is unique to the industry and offers some big advantages. Used primarily for high-capacity loads, the system resembles a large bicycle chain. The length of … Continue reading →

Work during outages and shutdowns requires proper planning, management, and innovative solutions to keep overall costs down. A job Barnhart performed at a nuclear power plant exemplifies those standards. Barnhart was hired to remove and replace two feedwater heaters (FWH) … Continue reading →

During World War I on Christmas Day in 2014, British soldiers stationed on the Western Front heard an unusual sound. Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
 Alles schläft, einsam wacht… German soldiers were singing “Silent Night,” a gesture of goodwill that began … Continue reading →

Barnhart recently performed a project at the Armistead I. Selden Lock and Dam on the Black Warrior River to provide the lifting systems for removing and replacing two 60-year-old downstream miter gates. The gates were 61’ wide x 46’ tall … Continue reading →

As Thanksgiving approaches, we take stock of what we are thankful for in our lives. The list for most of us includes gratitude for our loved ones, our health, our homes, and God’s grace. We are thankful for all those … Continue reading →

It’s fitting that during this season of football, colorful leaves and crisp breezes, we also focus on the kind of fall that can be dangerous. In this industry, and others, it’s common for our teams to work on projects far … Continue reading →

The Engineering News Record (ENR) recently announced their list of the Top 600 Specialty Contractors in the nation according to revenue. Barnhart cracked the top 50 for the first time, coming at #48. According to the ENR announcement, the construction … Continue reading →

Clint Eastwood’s latest movie, “Sully,” follows the story of the legendary pilot Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger and his successful landing of a crippled U.S. Airways plane in the frigid waters of the Hudson River in January 2009. The masterful … Continue reading →

When the Virginia Tech Hokies take the field against the University of Tennessee Volunteers in the Pilot Flying J Battle of Bristol this Saturday, Sept. 10, in Bristol, Tenn., several records are likely to be shattered. The game, which will … Continue reading →

The summer is winding down, but the weather is still brutal.  With temperatures soaring into the 90s in some parts of the country, care must be taken when working outdoors to prevent heat-related illnesses. In this video, Barnhart Safety Trainer Daniel … Continue reading →

At a recent project at a heavy industrial site outside of Austin, Barnhart’s engineers did what they do best, finding a safe and cost-effective solution for their customers. Barnhart was hired to remove and reinstall three large generators. The customer’s … Continue reading →

Here’s six tips to help the process go more smoothly.  1. Make up your mind - Much of outage rigging is on the critical path. The earlier the rigging contactor is chosen, the more consistent and efficient the delivery can be. In … Continue reading →

Hand injuries are all too common in an industrial setting.  In this video, Barnhart Safety Trainer Daniel Voss has some suggestions to keep your hands safe on the job.  After all, safety is one of Barnhart’s core values. Here are … Continue reading →

During a turnaround at a refinery in Illinois, Barnhart had to devise a solution for removing and reinstalling an upper delta valve and five delta valve door assemblies on a coke drum.  The components had to be removed to facilitate … Continue reading →

At a recent job at a refinery in Illinois, Barnhart faced a challenge when removing and replacing a preflash tower reflux accumulator, or drum. The customer requested that Barnhart develop a plan that would avoid removing any additional equipment or … Continue reading →

You might not think a crane and a truck would have much in common. But they do, as demonstrated in a short video, Common Core: Nissan Presents: Titans of Construction, part of a series of videos promoting the Nissan Titan … Continue reading →

Time is money during an outage, so the clock was ticking for a Barnhart project at a steel mill in Alabama. Barnhart had just five days to remove and replace a 146,500 lb. pinion stand. But before the project could … Continue reading →

Barnhart was honored with two “Job of the Year” awards in the categories of “Rigging Job $750,000 – $2 Million” and “Rigging Job Under $150,000,” at the recent Specialized Crane and Rigging Association (SC&RA) annual conference Criteria for the awards … Continue reading →

Barnhart frequently takes on mammoth undertakings, and occasionally encounters one of colossal proportions. Barnhart’s assignment was to design the method and perform the installation of the world’s largest outdoor, permanent, four-sided center-hung television display.  Nicknamed Colossus, the display was to … Continue reading →

R & R is what we all look forward to, and we’re no different.  But the R & R most people long for – rest and relaxation – is a far cry from what drives us. Barnhart’s definition of R … Continue reading →

Barnhart’s heavy haul of a transformer to a power plant caught the attention of WGAL News 8 in Pennsylvania.  Weighing in at more than a million pounds, Barnhart’s custom-made 24-dolly transporter had plenty of spectators along its route. The vehicle … Continue reading →

Every year on Christmas Eve, NORAD tracks Santa and his precious cargo offering updates as he leaves the North Pole and delivers presents to children around the world.  When not tasked with this essential duty, NORAD, a joint organization of the United … Continue reading →

Barnhart has been hired for some unusual projects: to lift a 1950s garbage truck, install a generator on the roof of a high-rise, and set a lighthouse facade at a casino. In a recent job in Des Moines, Barnhart was … Continue reading →

The show will go on at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa due to an agreement with Barnhart to provide high-capacity crane service for a limited time while the Port Authority upgrades its current crane as part of a multi-million dollar … Continue reading →

Last week, Barnhart placed a 60-ton, 300-foot pedestrian bridge – the largest bridge of its type the company has ever handled – on support piers in a 14-acre park in Meriden, Connecticut. Crews had been building the bridge abutments for … Continue reading →

Barnhart played an essential part in a recent milestone for The Port of Monroe on Lake Erie in Michigan. In July, the busy port received its first European cargo since the 1960’s, and Barnhart was there to unload it. After … Continue reading →

Have you ever noticed how pretty much every company or business has some sort of mission statement, catchy slogan or motto that reflects the company’s core values?  Slogans like “Save money, live better” for Wal-Mart, or my personal favorite “There … Continue reading →

To kick off the upcoming football season, we share this Barnhart classic video** that captures the thrill of victory. In the middle of a successful University of Texas football season, Barnhart was tasked with delivering and setting power generation components … Continue reading →

Barnhart has reached a definitive agreement to purchase Sicklesteel Cranes, Inc. of Mount Vernon, Washington the company announced in a release today.  The company, with 53 employees and a fleet of over 56 cranes, will continue to operate as Sicklesteel but … Continue reading →

Barnhart was hired to move a water runner over 1,1000 miles from New Orleans to a hydroelectric facility in Ludington, Michigan. The piece measured 28’ 2” in circumference, was 15’ tall and weighed over 610,000 lbs. The project was captured … Continue reading →

Planning and experience combined for a successful Barnhart job last week that removed an 80-year old deteriorating water tank and steel tower in East Hampton, Conn. The project was part of a seven-year effort to have the tank and tower … Continue reading →

Barnhart was contracted to provide turnkey service for the removal and replacement of five wind turbine gearboxes on 80m hub height wind turbines. The site had several constraints in that the Bureau of Land Management owned the land on which … Continue reading →

Barnhart took home three of seven SC&RA Job of the Year Awards at the SC&RA Annual Conference April 14-18 at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. The awards recognize projects that successfully meet professional challenges in rigging … Continue reading →

Barnhart was tasked with engineering and executing the up-ending and down-ending of a 430-ton generator.  The team successfully completed the task despite the low head room and only ½” of clearance in the floor opening.  See how they did it … Continue reading →

Today, engineers from Barnhart Crane & Rigging are expected to announce a major breakthough that will completely revolutionize the heavy lifting industry as it is known today.  In an afternoon press conference, Barnhart will reveal an electromagnetic levitation lifting device … Continue reading →

Barnhart, in a partnership with a leading barge company, is offering customers a unique service called the River Train along the navigable U.S. river systems. Using a fleet of 3000 hopper barges, Barnhart can transport nearly any oversized project cargo of … Continue reading →

During a spring turnaround at a petroleum refinery in Illinois, Barnhart was asked to remove and replace eight heat exchanger bundles. Four were located on the second level and four were on the third level of the unit. The challenge … Continue reading →

Barnhart was hired by a Wisconsin nuclear power plant to remove and replace four feedwater heaters, a condensate cooler, and two main feed pump motor skids during a spring outage. They then repeated the process in a fall outage in … Continue reading →

The old saying “time is money” is never more true than with turnarounds, shutdowns and outages requiring cranes and other specialized equipment.  The need to reduce cost through better planning is where Barnhart’s national network of branches, people, and deep … Continue reading →

There’s never a dull moment at Barnhart. Over the course of a year, we perform hundreds of projects for customers each with its own set of challenges. We compile the “best of” in our Lifting Letter newsletter which highlights projects of … Continue reading →