DICA Joins Lift & Move in Chicago as Official Outrigger Pad Sponsor
DICA participated in the Lift & Move USA event hosted by Lifting Gear Hire in Chicago, Ill., May 3, 2017. As the official outrigger pad sponsor, DICA provided a set of SafetyTech™ Super Duty DR48-3 outrigger pads under the outriggers of Imperial Crane’s 165-ton Grove GMK 5165-2 all-terrain crane.
Crane Operator, Bruce Gay of Imperial Crane speaks to high school and college students about careers in the crane, rigging and specialized transport industries.Lift & Move USA is for high school and college students interested in learning more about careers in crane, rigging, and specialized transport industries. It is a cooperative effort of the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, KHL Group with SkillsUSA and industry partners. More than 500 students attended the event in May.
“Skilled workforce recruitment and development has to happen on the local level to be successful. DICA is pleased to support the efforts of Lift and Move USA to introduce young people to the crane and rigging industry,” said Kris Koberg, CEO.
“This industry relies on highly engineered products. DICA’s outrigger pads and crane pads have been used in some of the most extreme environments and by some of the most risk-averse clients, including NASA’s LDSD program. Demonstrating the importance of technology and safety to young people is critical to promoting careers in this field to a new generation of workers.”
The GMK 5165-2 was used as the primary crane to lift a 13,000 lb. press during a live demonstration at the career event. A second tailing crane, a 15-ton Tadano GR-150XL rough-terrain crane, was also used. Bruce Gay, a crane operator for Imperial Crane, participated in this demonstration and spoke to groups of students throughout the day about what it takes to have a career as a crane operator.
DICA DR42-3 SafetyTech Outrigger Pads were used at the Lift and Move Event with Imperial Crane’s 165-ton Grove GMK 5165-2 all-terrain crane.“When I was a kid, a similar event sparked my interest in this field. If sharing my experience brings one or two new people into the industry, then my time was well spent,” he said. Of DICA’s products, Gay added that it’s important to him to have the sense of security that comes with setting up a crane on engineered outrigger pads. “DICA’s outrigger pads are a superior product that perform well in many different ground conditions. It’s one less thing that I have to worry about,” he said.
In 2017, two more regional Lift & Move events will take place in Indianapolis, Ind., and Baton Rouge, La. Today’s crane and heavy transport companies operate sophisticated, million-dollar equipment and provide expert services to household name customers in the infrastructure, oil and gas and petrochemicals industries. The industry offers stimulating and rewarding careers in dozens of roles, including crane operation, rigging, truck driving, welding, mechanics, engineering, IT, and sales.
“We could not have done this event without all of the supporting companies, from cranes to crane pads and amazing simulators to the Bat Mobile. With this event, Lifting Gear Hire hoped to set the stage as an allied partner with others in the industry to explain the critical nature of lifting and rigging operations, to highlight equipment technologies, and to help young people make important industry connections. It was truly a team effort,” said Patrick Clark, National Rental Support Manager for Lifting Gear Hire.
Lift & Move USA is a free event. For more information, visit www.liftandmoveusa.com.
About DICA
DICA, Guthrie Center, Iowa, has been specializing in building a better outrigger pad since 1988. By creating engineered solutions for improving equipment stability and ergonomic safety, DICA is leading the way in product innovation for outrigger pads, crane pads and cribbing.
DICA outrigger pads and crane pads are used in 38 countries and on 6 continents around the world in construction, maintenance, electrical utility, oil and gas and tree care as well as local, state and federal government agencies. Learn more at www.dicausa.com.