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If the shipment is large, really large, “can’t fit into a standard truck trailer or ocean container” large, it requires specialized handling. Since February 2002, the Denver office of Rock-It Cargo has handled shipments of over-sized and over-dimensional equipment for the mining, oil, gas and energy industries around the world. Bill Feliss, general manager of the Industrial Projects division, is looking to parlay his team’s expertise in Mexico to grow the company’s market share in Latin America.
Latin America, Mexico in particular, represents a growth area in the field of large- scale industrial shipping. The oil, gas and mining sectors in Mexico have demonstrated steady, but cyclical growth. Several years ago, Rock-It was asked to handle the transportation logistics for an important mining installation in a remote area in Mexico. The interest in that region blossomed from there. “Rock-It Cargo knows how to move freight into and out of Mexico. We have great partnerships at the border. We partner with specialized carriers. They have the equipment and we have the expertise,” says Feliss.
Although the need exists for companies that provide international shipping services for over-sized equipment, there are only a handful of companies like Rock-It with the skill set and experience to fill such a niche. Rock-It’s Industrial Projects group is comprised of specialists with experience in large freight movements. Feliss, for example, came from the engineering field, prior to his position at Rock-It Cargo. His experience in the oil, gas and mining industries allows him to understand the technical aspects of moving industrial-sized shipments as well as the needs of the customer.
The skill set required by large-scale shipment specialists is unique. Industrial project logisticians read technical drawings to determine lifting points and the center of gravity for large equipment. They stay abreast of DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations and permit requirements for every state. They design routing, obtain permits and arrange escorts when large pieces of equipment move overland to the port. They are well versed in truck, rail and barge capacities and capabilities as well as the grid of inter-coastal waterways and interstate highway systems. They also track loading and unloading facilities and equipment availability in various ports.
Some industries and professions truly have no margin for error. Large equipment transportation is one of them. One of Feliss’s projects a few years ago illustrates that point. He handled a 700 metric ton reactor that was the heaviest piece of freight ever to arrive in the port of Houston. The cargo moved over rail with only one railcar in existence having the capacity to carry a piece of that magnitude. The move required a year and a half to plan and execute. The lesson, Feliss says, was “that you can’t get halfway and realize you can’t make it.” Once a plan is in motion there is no turning back. He recalls speaking with the client about a contingency plan. “Plan B is that Plan A has to Work,” he told them.
Rock-It’s Industrial Projects division exhibited in two major trade shows in 2009 to maintain visibility as an industry leader and prospect for new business opportunities. The Breakbulk Transportation Conference and Exhibition, staged October 13-15 in New Orleans, LA, was the place to “see and be seen,” says Rock-It’s Feliss. “It was a showcase for people that do this type of shipping for a living,” Feliss says. His division also took advantage of the chance to meet potential customers in the Mexican mining industry by exhibiting at the EXPOMIN exhibition in Vera Cruz, Mexico. With marketing materials in Spanish, some major Mexican projects under his belt and a team of large-equipment logisticians, Feliss is ready to expand Rock-It’s potential business opportunities south of the border.
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