The Carroll Group Finds The Perfect Partner In SafeRack

Construction company cites SafeRack’s products, ability to adapt as keys to new relationship

The Carroll Group Inc., Bartow, FL, has recently turned to SafeRack for its quality loading-rack and fall-protection equipment.

SUMTER, SC, December 7, 2009—You don’t stay in business as a construction company for nearly 20 years unless you are flexible and willing to listen to and meet the unique needs of every customer and every project. The Carroll Group Inc., Bartow, FL, has been providing labor, rail service, new construction, and maintenance and repair to a growing roster of industrial clients in the Southeast—most of them in the phosphate or fertilizer manufacturing industries—since 1991. Its business model requires Carroll to work with a wide variety of equipment manufacturers and suppliers in order to come up with the right client-specific design every time.

Lately, however, Brandon Little, Carroll’s Vice President of Construction, began noticing that some of the company’s suppliers had become a little too set in their ways, especially when it came to the fall protection that was needed in a facility’s product loading and unloading areas.

“We weren’t getting our foot in the door with some clients because some of our equipment providers weren’t adjusting as quickly as we would’ve liked to new markets,” said Little. “We noticed that for the past 15 years we were working with some companies that had not changed their systems in that time. While we value what those companies have done for us over the years, it was time for us to look for a fresh perspective.”

With that in mind, in April Little got in touch with Chris Hite, the Southeast Territory Manager for SafeRack, LLC, the leading provider of stronger, safer and easier-to-handle truck and railcar loading-rack and fall-protection equipment. In just six months, it has proven to be a match made in customer-satisfying heaven.

“SafeRack is willing to adjust to the transportation needs and the load-out needs of our customers; Chris Hite is more than happy to do that,” said Little. “He’s not just suggesting the same old product to the customer.”

Already, Little is able to point to a success with a client in which SafeRack is playing a prominent role. Yara North America, Tampa, FL, is a manufacturer of a wide range of fertilizers that are used to help farmers grow crops such as grain, fruits and vegetables. Yara North America has the capacity to store a total of more than 600,000 tons of raw materials and finished products at its 50 terminal locations, which are located mainly on the East and West coasts. Recently, it began an expansion project at its Savannah, GA, terminal, a job that called for an upgrade in the fall-protection equipment in the railcar loading and unloading area.

Though Carroll began the project before its relationship with SafeRack was initiated, the new facility will feature six new SafeRack G4 Series Gangways, as well as railcar loading arms from OPW Engineered Systems, Lebanon, OH, whose products are marketed by SafeRack. The G4 Series gangways have been engineered by SafeRack for durability and ease of use. They are built to stand up to abuse with rugged, oversized parts while featuring counter-balanced and adjustable springs that help raise and lower the units with minimal effort. The gangways are constructed using metal-stamping technology and a tool-and-die process to cut out pieces of aluminum, which are then bent into the required shape, eliminating the need for as many welds and creating a stronger, more durable unit.

“SafeRack got onto the back end of the project in Savannah, but they’ve been great to work with and have been willing to meet the needs of our customer,” said Little. “They also met our budgetary restraints on the project. Chris Hite worked with me night and day to meet my budget.”

Since SafeRack became involved in the Yara North America project after it had already been begun, there was some catch-up work to do, but the ease and timeliness with which the SafeRack equipment was able to be installed solved any potential deadline concerns. The installation process was eased because the foundation measurements for the two truck-loading stands and the 60-foot railcar-loading platform perfectly matched the dimensions of the SafeRack equipment.

“The most critical components were the foundations,” said Little. “As long as the bolt patterns matched the plans, it was kind of like setting up an Erector Set. The SafeRack system was installed in only five days, including pouring the foundations. Using an experienced installation team, the customer was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of erection and the functionality of the product.”

The new G4 Series Gangway from SafeRack is the safest and most durable gangway available in the industry today.

For more information on any of SafeRack’s products or solutions, please contact Tom Semiklose, Vice President Sales, at (866) 761-7225 or tsemiklose@saferack.com, or visit www.SafeRack.com.

SafeRack, LLC, is committed to providing stronger, safer and easier-to-handle truck and railcar loading-rack and fall-protection equipment. Headquartered in Sumter, SC, SafeRack has more than 200 years of combined experience in offering the food/pharmaceutical, specialized chemical, pulp and paper, building products, plastics, cement, mining, petroleum, biodiesel and ethanol industries high-quality equipment that has been customized for each customer’s unique loading applications. For more information, please visit www.saferack.com.