Author Archives: Meredith Portman

About Meredith Portman

Meredith Portman is a freelance writer who specializes in heavy industry, healthcare and education.

Miniature Crane Highlight of Children’s Museum

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Meredith Portman

The Children’s Museum of Skagit County in Burlington, Washington has long been a favorite attraction for kids. It features interactive exhibits, including a miniature tower crane, which was donated by Sicklesteel Cranes a decade ago. When the Children’s Museum decided … Continue reading →

Posted in Educational, News | Tagged Barnhart, Children's Museum of Skagit County | Leave a comment

How to Make Shutdowns, Turnarounds and Outages Successful

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Meredith Portman

The old saying, “time is money,” is never more true than with shutdowns, turnarounds and outages (STOs) requiring cranes and other specialized equipment. Barnhart has extensive experience in this kind of work, so we’ve learned a thing or two and … Continue reading →

Posted in Outages | Tagged outages, shutdowns, turnarounds | Leave a comment

Teamwork and Innovation Win TVA Top Energy Award

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Meredith Portman

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently won the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Top Innovative Practice award for an inventive method of replacing three school-bus-sized feedwater heater bundles at their Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. We were proud to work with the TVA … Continue reading →

Posted in Nuclear Power | Tagged Nuclear Energy Institute Top Innovative Practice, outage, SoftTrac Crawler, Tennessee Valley Authority | Leave a comment

Project to Assemble World’s Largest Press Wins SC&RA Award

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Meredith Portman

A Barnhart project in California involving 40 components and 50 lifts has received a 2019 Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) Rigging Job of the Year award. The award, our 37th since 1992, was in the category of Rigging over … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards | Tagged dual lane trailer, Goldhofer SPMT system, modular lift tower, powered saddle roller, SC&RA Rigging Job of the Year 2019, strand jacks | Leave a comment

Made in the USA

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Meredith Portman

On Thursday, July 4th, the United States will be 243 years old. Americans will celebrate across the country in traditional ways with backyard cookouts, fireworks and festivities in communities large and small. This year, Barnhart is celebrating a milestone birthday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Uncategorized | Tagged Barnhart 50th anniversary, heavy lift, Transport | Leave a comment

Tanker Haul Wins SC&RA Job of the Year

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Meredith Portman

Barnhart recently took home a Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) Hauling Job of the Year award for a project that involved three 644,000-pound vessels, three states, 7,667 man-hours and two months. The three 117′ long tanks started at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards, Heavy Haul | Tagged dual lane transporter, Heavy Haul, SCRA Hauling Job of the Year, WesTrac | Leave a comment

Barnhart Purchases Burkhalter Rigging

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Meredith Portman

Barnhart Crane and Burkhalter Rigging, Inc., of Columbus, Mississippi, entered into an agreement on Friday May 31st under which Barnhart will purchase the majority of Burkhalter’s assets. The two companies have complementary skills and similar paths. Burkhalter, a third-generation family … Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged Barnhart, Burkhalter Rigging, Columbus Mississippi, crane rental Mississippi, crane service Mississippi, heavy haul Mississippi, rigging services Mississippi | Leave a comment

Barnhart Part of Kentucky Workforce Development Program

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Meredith Portman

Barnhart is part of an effort to prepare Kentucky’s workers meet growing workforce demands. Currently, the state is facing a shortage of highly skilled workers to fill approximately 115,000 open jobs. Through the InDemand program, a partnership between Kentucky Educational Television and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Resources, News | Tagged Barnhart Calvert City, Barnhart jobs, Barnhart Owensboro, workforce development Kentucky | Leave a comment

Barnhart Sets Steeple Just in Time for Easter

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Meredith Portman

A Catholic church in Utica, Nebraska had been missing its steeple for many years, seventy to be exact. Back in 1949, the steeple at St. Patrick’s Church had been struck by lightning and consumed by flames. In the following decades, … Continue reading →

Posted in Heavy Lift | Tagged 100-ton Mobile crane, Barnhart Lincoln, Nebraska, St. Patrick's Catholic church steeple, Utica | Leave a comment

Turnaround Expertise on Display in Refinery Project

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Meredith Portman

Barnhart has years of experience in successfully performing projects for customers during outages and turnarounds. So when we were hired to remove and replace a T-805 tower during a turnaround at a refinery in Texas, it was a project that … Continue reading →

Posted in R & R, Refinery | Tagged 500-ton crane, Barnhart Crane, Refinery, Remove and replace, turnarounds | Leave a comment