Author Archives: Meredith Portman

About Meredith Portman

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

BARNHART DELIVERS COMPONENTS FOR WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL ROCKET

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Heavy Lift, Project Cargo Logistics | Tagged Barnhart Crane, deck barge, Goldhofer, NASA, Space Launch System | Leave a comment

INNOVATIVE LIFT ALLOWS PROJECT TO PROCEED SAFELY

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Heavy Lift, Nuclear Power | Tagged Barnhart, Crawler cranes, innovative rigging, lift systems, nuclear power, Pull-Up Gantries, telescoping hydraulic crane | Leave a comment

AN UNPREDICTABLE FINALE TO AN EPIC GAME

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Meredith Portman

For most of the game during Super Bowl 51 on Sunday, 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 →

Posted in Heavy Haul, Heavy Lift, Project Cargo Logistics | Tagged Barnhart, Heavy Haul, heavy lift, project cargo logistics, Slide System | Leave a comment

“BICYCLE CHAIN” RIGGING HARD TO BEAT

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Heavy Lift | Tagged Adjustable length rigging system, ARLS, Barnhart, cool tools, high capacity lifts, modular lift tower, Tunnel Boring Machine | Leave a comment

EARLY PLANNING SHORTENS PLANT’S OUTAGE SCHEDULE

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Nuclear Power, Outages | Tagged Barnhart, Goldhofer PSTe, jacks, outage planning, outages, powered saddle roller, Pull-Up Gantries, Slide System | Leave a comment

A Christmas Truce

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Meredith Portman

During World War I on Christmas Day in 1914, 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 →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas Truce | Leave a comment

Gate Removal Project Goes Off Without a Hitch

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Heavy Lift | Tagged Barnhart, crane with super lift, Lifting systems, modular lift tower, Selden Lock and Dam, Slide System | Leave a comment

OUR THANKSGIVING BLESSING

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

FALL SAFETY FOR ALL SEASONS

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Safety | Tagged Barnhart, fall safety, safety | Leave a comment

BARNHART NAMED A TOP 50 SPECIALTY CONTRACTOR

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Meredith Portman

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 →

Posted in Awards | Tagged Barnhart, Engineering News Record, ENR, Top Specialty Contractors | Leave a comment