Radial Stackers Project
ITAC was subcontracted to complete the Radial Stackers Project for the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority in Paducah, Kentucky. The project involved the complete demolition and replacement of four aging tower-type, cable-stayed stacking conveyors with modern hydraulic radial stackers. The scope of the approximately $1.7 million project encompassed engineered equipment procurement, construction management, and general contracting services. ITAC leveraged its procurement services to source the new hydraulic stackers from a manufacturer in Illinois and to write subcontracts for demolition and installation. The company provided both mechanical and electrical construction, along with construction management to oversee all subcontractors on site, while project management coordinated the effort from start to finish. Additionally, ITAC performed incidental engineering work to address clearance issues and other details not covered by the original design firm. Rather than simply replacing the outdated cable-stayed stackers with the same technology as specified in the original scope, ITAC proposed an alternative solution — hydraulic stackers — that delivered significant safety, productivity, and maintenance advantages over the legacy equipment.
Client Challenge
The PMCRA’s four existing tower-type, cable-stayed stacking conveyors were more than 40 years old and had reached the end of their safe working life. The cable-style elevating systems required intensive proactive maintenance to keep the support cables from corroding, and if a cable were to snap, there was no safety mechanism to prevent the conveyor from dropping — presenting a serious safety hazard. Beyond the safety concerns, the aging equipment was also limiting productivity and driving up ongoing maintenance costs. The PMCRA needed a complete replacement solution that would modernize their operations and eliminate these risks.
Project at a glance
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CLIENT
Paducah McKracken County Riverport Authority -
SITE
Paducah, Kentucky -
SERVICES
- Procurement
- Construction Management
- Project Management
- Electrical Construction
- Mechanical Construction
ITAC Solution
Rather than replacing the outdated cable-stayed stackers with the same technology as originally specified in the project scope, ITAC proposed hydraulic radial stackers as a safer, more reliable alternative. The hydraulic systems maintain constant pressure to prevent unexpected drops, and built-in safety measures immediately stop any fall in the event of a line break — a critical safety feature the old cable systems lacked entirely. ITAC sourced the equipment, managed demolition of the legacy stackers, and oversaw full installation and startup.
Project Results
The client was very pleased with the completed project. The four new hydraulic radial stackers performed at their designed production rates, exceeding the throughput the PMCCRA required for their operations. The replacement eliminated the significant safety hazard posed by the 40-year-old cable-stayed system and dramatically reduced ongoing maintenance requirements. The project was completed on the $1.7 million budget, and the new stackers delivered the trifecta of improvements the client needed: enhanced safety with built-in fail-safe mechanisms, increased productivity with higher throughput capacity, and reduced maintenance burden compared to the aging cable-style equipment they replaced.
I really appreciated the face to face communication. Terry was onsite to assist the guys and provide guidance. This made things go smoother and also demonstrated the kind of commitment and attention to detail that I like.
– Jim Garrett | PMCRA
