America's Heartland has been called the "Bread Basket of the World." A huge increase in grain-based fuels such as Ethanol and Bio-Diesel and increasing uses of grain-based sweeteners, have caused a flurry of activity by fabricators, engineers, and contractors to meet this demand for plants in the Midwest.
Perkins Specialized Transportation Contracting is located within 600 miles of almost all these Ethanol, Bio-Diesel and other grain-based plants. And our unique transport equipment allows us to move large vessels through states with the most stringent superload requirements. Such was the case when an IL vessel fabricator needed to move a 270,000 lb grain-processing vessel to Keokuk, IA.
With only 60 days until shipping, the fabricator quickly realized that not just any hauling firm could move this 15' - 6" diameter, 60' long vessel. Only Perkins could give the assurance this fabricator needed.
Several challenges faced the Perkins team. Given the time needed for bridge analysis on the entire route, two immediate tasks needed to be accomplished in a matter of days:
- Getting two states to agree on which bridge would be used to cross over the Mississippi River.
- Finding a route to move a 15' - 6" tall vessel on a 20' wide dual lane transporter.
Within days of award, Perkins had researched and surveyed a route. During the survey, Perkins used laser survey equipment to measure 160 bridges and dozens of turns... all part of ensuring a "no surprises" performance.
Because Perkins' suspension girder system could raise and lower hydraulically, and thereby self-load the vessel, the fabricator saved the expense of a large mobile crane for loading. As promised, the route was approved by IL and IA and permits were awarded just in time. Though it took two months of "sweating the details", the large vessel was moved in just 4 days.
Perkins Specialized Transportation Contracting is the team that fabricators, engineers, and contractors call upon for large vessel/tank transport... when execution matters most.