When planning and execution unite, We Build Better! Performance Contractors recently completed its heavy lift campaign for a significant Gulf Coast expansion project. Nearly four years in the making, this campaign began in Milan, Italy, where our team collaborated with the Owner, Tecnimont, Mammoet and several Performance departments early on to successfully maximize the use of various lift cranes and minimize lifting locations to exceed our client’s expectations.
While planning the lifting sequence in 2018, the team began challenging traditional methods and seeking more efficient practices to complete the project. Performance extended its expertise through comprehensive planning and rigging, as well as innovative planning ideas. By pre-assembling steel structures and pre-assembling stair towers along with “pre-dressing” towers, the crew achieved moving work fronts from elevated areas as close to ground level as possible.
“It took the full participation of our Performance planning team, as well as our Owner and Engineering (Tecnimont) partners, to make each of these concepts a reality,” Willie LeFever, executive sponsor of the project, said.
But this project was not without its challenges. This campaign started almost two years prior to the first lift in February 2020, and it came to a halt later that year due to the ever-present COVID-19 pandemic. The planning and rigging team was forced to revise the initial plan, resulting in a second job site mobilization and new partnerships in 2021. Despite all the challenges, Performance completed the campaign safely and on schedule.
Under the guidance of David Dial, Everado Rosenbaum, Shane Caldwell, Matt Sullivan, Ed Duiett and Jimbo Coarsey, along with the technical support of Ross Guidry, our team exceeded safety, quality and productivity expectations for the project. Our team successfully planned and pre-assembled 28 steel structures (Pancakes), pre-assembled 12 stair towers, set 20 pipe rack modules, set 16 towers, and erected 6,500 tons of steel.
By being involved on the front end of the project, Performance achieved a reduced schedule, lessened costs, and implemented safer construction techniques through execution. As our team continues to work past the rigging and heavy lift portion of this project, we remain dedicated to driving quality and safety beyond the industry standards.
“The pinnacle of meeting—or even better— exceeding our customer's expectations is so very important to our success as a company,” Performance Contractors President & CEO Kevin Courville said. “Way to back up ‘We Build Better’ on the grandest stage."
