Heavy Lifting News
Case Studies on Innovative Problem Solving
Construction Contractors Discover Winning Solution to Equipment Shortages
04/04/2022
The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the single largest investment in America’s infrastructure in modern history. The far-reaching effort will upgrade roadways, water systems, railroads, mass transportation, ports, airports and utilities. While the federal government’s emphasis on infrastructure is epic, civil construction contractors face a significant challenge: shortages in everything from materials and labor to equipment.
“Given the government’s focus on civil projects, construction contractors need to expand their heavy lifting capabilities,” shared Christopher Cox, P.E., Founder and President of Engineered Rigging. However, that is easier said than done.
A variety of market conditions have driven up prices and created long wait times for new construction equipment. One root cause is the steel shortage in the US. Reuters reports that prices and unfilled orders for US steel prices have skyrocketed. Another factor is that access to overseas sources continues to be delayed by supply chain issues.
Savvy contractors have identified an affordable solution: equipment rental. “In 2021, demand doubled for Engineered Rigging’s heavy lifting and specialized transport equipment rental. We expect that surge to continue in 2022 and beyond as cities across America implement their infrastructure projects,” stated Cox (pictured below on the Cline Avenue Bridge in East Chicago).
The company’s innovative heavy lifting equipment has been used in several recent civil construction projects including the Wittpenn Bridge, Panther Island Bridges, Cline Avenue Bridge, construction of a hydropower plant and power plant upgrades.
Reaping the Rewards of Equipment Rental
A primary benefit of renting heavy lifting and specialized transport equipment is affordability. Contractors can safeguard their CAPEX budgets against inflation and free up their budgets for other expenditures.
“The beauty of equipment rental is that you only pay for it when you need it. You don’t have a tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment sitting idle between projects,” explained Cox.
In addition, civil construction contractors can arrange delivery of the equipment to align with their project schedule and fill any voids in their fleets.
“Time and time again, we receive calls from contractors who have been waiting months for their new equipment to arrive. This may lead them to look at alternative installation and engineered equipment solutions because they simply can’t afford project delays caused by equipment backlogs,” added Cox.
Engineered Rigging has a fleet of heavy lifting and specialized transport equipment available, and we continue to expand based on client demand. The newest addition to our offerings is the JS500 Jack-Up System which has a 2,200 ton lifting capacity up to heights of 50+ feet, making it ideal for bridge construction, repair and demolition; highway overpass construction; airport elevated walkway installation and port crane lifting. Below is a sampling of Engineered Rigging’s rental equipment.
Construction Heavy Lifting Rentals
JS500 Jack-Up System
Bridge construction & demolition
Highway overpass construction
Airport elevated walkway installation
Port crane lifting
Strand Jack Systems
Bridge construction & demolition
Falsework removal
Port crane lifting
Railroad bridge span replacement
Hydraulic Gantries
Subway construction
Power & energy plant maintenance
Civil construction heavy lifting
Power Slide System
Bridge construction
Highway overpass construction
Subway construction
