Providing
Technical
Excellence
By Mike Hussey, Sarens North America.
Mike Hussey
Mike Hussey is Regional Director for
North America with
Sarens, a global
leader in heavy
lift and heavy
haul services.
A Professional
Engineer with a
MBA specializing
in International
Management, Mike
has more than 15
years of heavy
lift and project
management
experience. Most
recently, Mike has
been responsible for
steering the growth
and development
of Sarens’ United
States and Canada
operations.
Responses to questions by Newal
Agnihotri, Editor of Nuclear Plant
Journal.
Since 1976 Sarens has provided
innovative heavy lifting and transport
solutions to the nuclear industry.
From new nuclear plant construction
to major component replacements to
decommissioning, our customers have
always relied on our leading-edge
technology for their nuclear heavy lifting
and special transport requirements.
1.
How does Sarens help optimize
outage management operation using
their cranes?
Our team works with owners and
contractors to solve complex challenges
unique to each project. We tailor our lift-
ing equipment and
methods to meet
individual site con-
straints and mini-
mize impact to plant
structures. Our en-
gineering team spe-
cializes in develop-
ing alternative lifting
systems to execute
large, complex lifts
that are not possible
with conventional
equipment. Our
rigorous engineer-
ing and pre-planning
process ensures that
there are no sur-
prises in the field.
Safety and reliability
form the core of our
approach.
2.
What
state-of-the-art
control
equipment is being installed to increase
safety and reliability of cranes, and to
decrease maintenance and downtime
costs?
Sarens has installed state-of-the-art
telematic devices in our cranes. Real-
time information gathered from these
devices allows us to proactively manage
regular maintenance needs and minimize
downtime. We can also quickly diagnose
equipment issues remotely in conjunction
with our personnel on the ground. With
this technology we are able to leverage
the expertise of our entire organization,
and respond very quickly to problems.
3.
How does Sarens generate its
Research & Development to keep its
products current?
Since our entrance into the
nuclear industry 40 years ago as
Rigging International, we have been
an engineering-centric company. We
are dedicated to using cutting-edge
technologies and providing innovative
solutions to our clients. With over 125
highly qualified engineers across the
globe, we are able to leverage a wealth
of knowledge and experience on every
project. Our staff understands the
importance of continuously improving
our capabilities and leveraging technology
to make our jobs safer and more efficient.
4.
What is the most innovative lifting
equipment utilized by Sarens in a steam
generator replacement project in the
nuclear power plant?
We have developed a Hydraulic
Lifting Unit (HLU) to place Temporary
Lifting Devices (TLDs) atop Polar Cranes
for Steam Generator Handling. Our HLU
is quicker to assemble and takes up less
space than comparable systems, and
avoids attachments to the Polar Crane.
Parallel Semi-Gantry Temporary
Lifting Device at Beaver Valley.
32
NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, March-April 2016
