April 17 - Berard Transportation Inc of Louisiana has invested in a further 20 Goldhofer axle lines with two power packs of type PST/ES-E in an effort to reinforce its leading market position in the US heavy-load sector.

"Our daily business comprises the transportation of extremely heavy goods. Having appropriate equipment and well trained employees is an absolute must for us. The foundations for our success are the Goldhofer axle lines, with which we are able to complete our difficult work with ease," explains company boss, Johnny Berard.

The spectrum of unusual XXL cargo transported by the Berard Transportation ranges from offshore platforms and huge industrial goods, for the chemical industry, through to orders from shipyards.

Berard's most recent special transportation took place in Freeport, Texas. A 487 ton fractionator was transported from the production site in the town across a route spanning many kilometres to the port, where it was loaded onto a waiting barge. The dimensions were gigantic: The colossus was over 67 metres long, almost six metres in diameter and a total of 9.5 metres in transportation height.

The load was moved using the self-driving Goldhofer type PST/ES-E heavy-load transporters; and parallel coupling two 6-axle and 10-axle units. On route the heavy load crossed multiple level crossings. A particular challenge on the route was a 90 degree hair-pin bend. "We attracted a lot of spectators on the way. No one had seen anything that big for a long time. But the Goldhofer-PST axle lines mastered the difficult challenge faultlessly" lauds company boss Berard.

With its most recent procurement, Berard Transportation Inc. has more than 50 type PST/SL-E Goldhofer axle lines with five drive units as well as 32 type PST/ES-E Goldhofer axle lines with four drive units. The fleet also has twelve axle lines from the THP compact system. All told, Berard thus possesses a transportation capacity of around 4,000 tonnes.

"We are naturally delighted that Berard places its full trust in Goldhofer quality. It is our aim to equip customers such as Berard Transporting Inc. optimally for their daily business. The clear commitment to Goldhofer spurs us on everyday anew"; the words of Stefan Fuchs, chairman of the board of Goldhofer AG.

Pictured below the unit masters a 90° hair-pin bend.

In the upcoming May / June edition of Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International magazine, we will produce a survey looking at semi-trailer and SPMT manufacturers whose products are important to the heavy lift cargo and project forwarding industries.