Reinforcing Project of the Year
West Wind Reinforcing was contacted by Continental Construction Company in December 2014 with a request for a bid on a silo in Gulfport, Mississippi. The project began in July 2015 and was completed in August 2015. The project was to be done in 24-hour shifts, seven days per week until completed with an estimated total weight of over 1,173 tons. West Wind Reinforcing was able to complete the project in 17 days with 27,300 man-hours and 220 ironworkers from all over the United States and Canada without any injuries. Safety was the main priority, especially with the job being done in the middle of summer, near the water, in a state with a lot of humidity. It was important to make sure that all of the employees were properly dressed and properly hydrated, and took breaks throughout the long 12-hour shifts.
Slip form projects are very fast paced, intense projects, requiring the knowledge and skill of many workers and an experienced management team. The job included two structures: one consisted of 12 connected silos, 40 foot in diameter, that were slipped continuously from ground level to the top out height of 134 feet; the other one consisted of three connected silos 65 foot in diameter, that were slipped continuously from ground level to the top out height of 159 feet. Ironworkers from several union locals took part in the effort to get this job done in a safe, efficient and expert manner.
This project was completed on time and on budget, with the bulk of ironworkers provided by Regional Local 846 (Aiken, S.C.). The supervisory team consisted of ironworker members from Locals 416 (Los Angeles), 29 (Portland, Ore.) and 290 (Dayton, Ohio). Men traveled from states all over the country, as well as Canada, to work on this project. In today’s job market it is very difficult to get qualified ironworkers to travel long distances to complete a job that is only going to last 17 days. West Wind Reinforcing appreciates all of the ironworkers that banded together to help get this very complicated project done.
West Wind Reinforcing has been a union contractor since its inception in 2012. The owners of West Wind Reinforcing have all been union ironworkers for over 30 years, all working in the field on various projects, providing them with a wealth of information and experience. West Wind Reinforcing prides themselves for working safely and efficiently and providing contractors with excellent customer service.
Their home office is located in Oregon City, Oregon with a satellite office located in Mayfield, Kentucky.
The Dupont Ilemenite facility in Gulfport, Mississippi was awarded the IMPACT Project of the Year in the reinforcing category for West Wind Reinforcing.