Giant kiln headed to Phillips Kiln in South Sioux City
By Dave Dreeszen Journal business editor | Posted: Monday, November 19, 2007
SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- If you're traveling in Northeast Nebraska today, don't be surprised if you see what looks like a rocket or a missile coming down the road.
The huge payload -- 60 feet in length, 11 feet in diameter and with a weight of 150,000 pounds -- is actually a giant kiln bound for Phillips Kiln in South Sioux City.
The global business, which offers specialized maintenance services for industrial kilns, dryers and coolers, is bringing the kiln to town to provide hands-on training for new workers.
Getting the huge vessel here is no easy task, said Dave Roberts, the company's manager of quality, training and safety. It took weeks of planning to plot the route, including finding bridges and overpasses to support the heavy load, and to obtain the necessary permits from five states.
A semi-tractor and trailer, 100 feet in length, left Williston, N.D., Friday morning with the kiln, Roberts said.
"It's got a steerable dolly on the back to help swing it around corners," he said.
From Williston, near the headwaters of the Missouri River, the truck traveled west into Montana, south into Wyoming and east into western South Dakota.
In Southeast South Dakota, the payload will cross the Missouri River and enter Nebraska at Niobrara. From there, the truck will travel east on U.S. Highway 20, and then take the Highway 77 bypass into South Sioux City and the Phillips Kiln plant at 1601 Geneva St.
No road closings or detours are expected along the route, although the semi-tractor and trailer will be accompanied by pilot cars and Highway Patrol cars, Roberts said.
The cargo is tentatively scheduled to get to South Sioux City at mid-afternoon today, but that's subject to change, Robert said. "It's a super heavy load so there are a lot of unknown variables about bringing it down," he said.
On Tuesday two large cranes are scheduled to lift the kiln onto its new concrete piers. As part of their training, a class of nine mechanical welding workers prepared the site and built the supports.
Once the kiln is in place, the students will learn hands-on how to maintain and repair kilns like the ones that Phillips Kiln works on in the field, Roberts said.
"We'll be able to do virtually any kind of mechanical repair this kiln would require," he said. "As we go forward, we'll take parts off and put them back on."
Northeast Community College is providing the job-specific training with the aid of state economic development funds.
Phillips Kiln decided to establish an on-site training center after experiencing a shortage of trained staff to send into the field. With more workers, the company expects to grow not only its domestic business, but also expand its global markets.
The South Sioux-based company, which has about 115 employees in its North American operations, has offices in England, India and Australia.
The huge payload -- 60 feet in length, 11 feet in diameter and with a weight of 150,000 pounds -- is actually a giant kiln bound for Phillips Kiln in South Sioux City.
The global business, which offers specialized maintenance services for industrial kilns, dryers and coolers, is bringing the kiln to town to provide hands-on training for new workers.
Getting the huge vessel here is no easy task, said Dave Roberts, the company's manager of quality, training and safety. It took weeks of planning to plot the route, including finding bridges and overpasses to support the heavy load, and to obtain the necessary permits from five states.
A semi-tractor and trailer, 100 feet in length, left Williston, N.D., Friday morning with the kiln, Roberts said.
"It's got a steerable dolly on the back to help swing it around corners," he said.
From Williston, near the headwaters of the Missouri River, the truck traveled west into Montana, south into Wyoming and east into western South Dakota.
In Southeast South Dakota, the payload will cross the Missouri River and enter Nebraska at Niobrara. From there, the truck will travel east on U.S. Highway 20, and then take the Highway 77 bypass into South Sioux City and the Phillips Kiln plant at 1601 Geneva St.
No road closings or detours are expected along the route, although the semi-tractor and trailer will be accompanied by pilot cars and Highway Patrol cars, Roberts said.
The cargo is tentatively scheduled to get to South Sioux City at mid-afternoon today, but that's subject to change, Robert said. "It's a super heavy load so there are a lot of unknown variables about bringing it down," he said.
On Tuesday two large cranes are scheduled to lift the kiln onto its new concrete piers. As part of their training, a class of nine mechanical welding workers prepared the site and built the supports.
Once the kiln is in place, the students will learn hands-on how to maintain and repair kilns like the ones that Phillips Kiln works on in the field, Roberts said.
"We'll be able to do virtually any kind of mechanical repair this kiln would require," he said. "As we go forward, we'll take parts off and put them back on."
Northeast Community College is providing the job-specific training with the aid of state economic development funds.
Phillips Kiln decided to establish an on-site training center after experiencing a shortage of trained staff to send into the field. With more workers, the company expects to grow not only its domestic business, but also expand its global markets.
The South Sioux-based company, which has about 115 employees in its North American operations, has offices in England, India and Australia.
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