MONDI ANNUAL SHUT
2021 marked the year that Mondi would embark on the biggest shut in Mondi South Africa’s history, a three month shut. Lovemore Bros were appointed by Valmet to provide cranes and rigging teams to support the rebuild of Recovery Boiler 1 (RB1), the most critical part of the Mondi shut.
After months of planning the time had come to start this marathon of a shut. With 12 rigging teams and a large selection of lifting machinery, from a 750 ton crawler crane to a 4 ton telehandler, we were well equipped to take on this challenge. To start the project we had 46 truck loads of crane parts, to build the 750 ton crawler crane, this was the main crane to lift all the old parts of RB1 Out and the new part in. With a 750 ton crane equipped with a main boom of 56m and a luffer of 70m we started lifting on the 7th of October with the 1st section of the old steam drum, a 70 ton lift at 55m radius with a 90m hook height.
Altogether over 2000 tons of equipment was lifted during the 28 day heavy lift program. With 56 men onsite, a total of 37 757 man hours, Lovemore Bros had no lost time injuries (LTI’s) during this 3 month shut period.
Despite the harsh weather, long hours and months away from home all staff involved performed well and returned home safely in good spirits, ready for the next challenge.
