A heavy crane lift requires just the right equipment, and extensive crew expertise. Imagine what happens when you multiply that complexity by two! One recent job required us to answer just that question. Linde, a campus close to our Hillsboro yard, contacted our Portland, Oregon office to lift a 133-foot cold box and set it in just the right spot. Careful planning and close cooperation between our crane services teams and everyone involved allowed us to finish the job to the customer’s full satisfaction.

The Challenge: Heavy Equipment to Move and Crane Lift

The job was as straightforward as it was challenging. Linde needed Omega Morgan to transport a 133-foot rectification cold box, which weighed almost 300,000 pounds, to its site in Hillsboro. Once at the site, the expectation was for an exact pick and set without delay or damages.

This combination of weight and size meant that a simple crane wasn’t enough. Instead, two of our crane crews had to work together closely to make sure that everything worked without any issues. Fortunately, our team was up for the job.

The Process: Two Crane Service Crews Working in Unison

Having transported the cold box to the site using our dual lane trailer, we dispatched crews with two specific cranes:

• A Terex/Demag CC2500 Crawler crane, which has a 550-ton lifting capacity along with a boom length of 275 feet.
• A GMK 7450 Hydraulic truck crane, with a 550-ton lifting capacity and a boom height of 60 feet.

Using both, the goal of precisely lifting and setting became more realistic. Still, we needed close teamwork to be successful. Once the dual lane trailer put the cold box in position, we hooked the CC2500 into its top end while the GMK 7450 attached to the base end. After the final checks, we were ready for the lift.

Now, cooperation became crucial. Both crane operators had to be on the same page at all times, remaining in constant communication to successfully lift and set the cold box tower. With its connection at the top of the box, the CC2500 did the heavy lifting, while the GMK 7450 handled the tail rigging during the tilt-up of the cold box tower.

Once the box was tilted completely upright, the GMK7450 was disconnected and the cold box was moved to position and set onto the correct pad.

The Result: Proven Experience and Customer Satisfaction

Of course, none of the potential problems occurred. Instead, both operators communicated constantly and successfully to complete the project. The box was lifted, set, and put in place exactly as required.

Omega Morgan is known for its crane expertise. At the onset, this dual crane pick job seemed challenging, but #doingtheimpossibledaily is just part of our DNA. This job was smooth to completion and added yet another satisfied Omega Morgan customer.