Fairwinds was utilized by Nucor on a multi-million dollar project. An entire steel mill was cut apart section by section in Convent, Louisiana and reassembled in Trinidad. Nucor asked Fairwinds to fulfill 3 major roles

First, we were asked to check the components being moved around the yard on trailers. Some of these pieces of equipment in the mill were worth several million dollars and the trailer subcontractor was not going to be responsible for any damage to what they were moving. Over the course of the project we checked several structures for differential deflection at the various trailer supports and for motion forces while being moved around in the yard during disassembly. We had to add steel to several structures to keep them from overstressing during the field moves. Our engineering was a valuable resource as none of the structures we checked became damaged while being moved in the yard.

Fairwinds second task was to put the structures on 250' x 72' barges for the trip to Trinidad. It was our responsibility to make sure the structures did not overstress the barge and also maintained their structural integrity during the voyage. We utilized the current codes for seafastening barges in the Gulf of Mexico. Our Naval architects and engineers made sure each barge was stable and structurally sound for each shipment. Fairwinds issued drawings for each barge showing how the steel mill pieces needed to be fasted to the barge to safely ship each section. Each barge required a lot of documentation since each shipment was insured. Fairwinds engineering for each barge was first reviewed by the insurance company and second by a marine warranty surveyor. Each barge load varied in total weight from 1,000 to 2,500 tons. Fairwinds engineered a total of 9 barge shipments over a 6 month period. None of the 9 barges or sections of the mill that were shipped sustained any damage during their voyage to Trinidad.

Fairwinds third task was to check some of the more expensive equipment and structures for seismic forces. Trinidad is known for having earthquakes, unlike the original steel mill location of Convent, Louisiana. Nucor wanted Fairwinds to engineer the structures to withstand earthquakes according to the codes required in Trinidad. Fairwinds checked the structures and issued drawings showing how to add steel in certain areas to make them sound for Trinidad earthquake forces.