MCI – Custom Steel Fabrication Example

Periodically, MCI takes on high profit challenges in the over-dimensional project cargo industry. Prior to the advent of computer engineering modeling programs, MCI was contacted by Georgia-Pacific, the paper company, and presented with the following challenge:

Georgia-Pacific had completed the fabrication of three pulp silos in Portland, Oregon for use in their new paper plant located in Savannah, Georgia. Shipping dimensions for each came in at 29’ long X 34’2” in diameter weighing 140,000 lbs. With a diameter of 34’2” Georgia-Pacific had been unable to get an estimate, let alone a shipper willing to handle the project.

MCI assembled the necessary engineers and formulated a possible methodology for transporting this cargo across the country. Our final analysis was to cut the three silos into three parts, each of which would result in a width of 13’4” sufficient to meet railroad cargo width restrictions, if loaded and positioned at the correct angle to meet the shipping width requirement.

Such a costly and radical solution required an absolute proof of concept presentation for Georgia-Pacific to approve MCI’s action plan. To meet this requirement, MCI had an exact scale model replica of the railcar and a disassembled silo constructed out of wood, shown below:

Georgia-Pacific was impressed with the engineering behind the plan, and based on the model awarded MCI the contract to execute the plan including supervising; the disassembly, and the fabrication of the special rigging accouterments required, and the transportation of the three silos, and accessories, on 12 railcars from Portland to Savannah. MCI successfully completed the four month long project utilizing more than 20 vendors and subcontractors and two railroads.