A Tool For Tools

As the largest distributor of petroleum coke in North America, Oxbow Carbon exports nearly 11 million tons of the solid, high carbon material. Nearly two million of that total is processed through their southern California terminal, situated in the town of Long Beach.

“Pet coke” as it’s known, is produced as a byproduct of the oil refining process. Oxbow processes this material and then exports it all over the world to serve as an energy source (burned while making such things as cement and lime) or a carbon source (burned while making aluminum and steel).

Along with storing more than 300,000 tons of pet coke, the Long Beach facility is equipped to screen, crush and blend the product. Through this process – and even up to it’s loading onto a vessel, barge, train, or truck – the coke travels via a system of conveyor belts.

At one of Oxbow’s storage facilities, there is a transfer tower which connects two conveyors together. The tower is nearly 100 feet tall, and thus poses a problem when employees need to carry tools or parts to the top.

Looking for a convenient and safe solution, the company turned to their local Thern distributor, Coordinated Wire and Rope, to provide the answer: a Fre Rol Davit Crane.

Selecting model 571E4 from the 571 series, the crane includes a power helical/worm gear power (model 4771-K) winch that is capable of lifting up to 2000 lbs. The crane features a fixed boom (or optional adjustable version), and gusset style base for permanent installation and stability under load.

“We selected this particular davit crane because it came highly recommended,” said Rick Dunham, manager of the Long Beach operation, “and it’s been a huge benefit - very convenient and our employees appreciate not having to make a 100 foot vertical climb with extremely heavy objects.”

For over 30 years, Thern has been assisting businesses across a wide variety of industries with their lifting and pulling needs. Also known for their level of service, Thern builds customized winch and crane solutions. Impressed with this diligence, Dunham also noted, “The drawing they sent was an exact match to the final product we put in place. With no unexpected surpises, the installation went smoothly – something we appreciated.”