R. Baker and Son Press Releases

Precision Chiller Dismantling & Mechanical Retrofit Case Study...

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:44:34 EDT

A local New Jersey representative for a major chiller manufacturer recommended R. Baker & Son for a demanding chiller change-out project. The scope: remove two 1,200-ton chillers and their associated multi-cell cooling tower, then clear the way for two new high-efficiency heat pump chillers and fluid coolers to take their place.

Fast, Efficient Cooling Tower Demolition

Speed and precision were critical from the start. The large three-cell cooling tower was drained, cleaned, dismantled, and disassembled with a 130-ton hydraulic boom crane fitted with an extended jib, reaching 75 feet in from the loading dock. Large lifting baskets made quick work of removing the plastic splash fill, electric pony motors, fan blades, sump piping, and other components.

Solving the Real Challenge: Demolition Inside an Operating Central Utility Plant

The bigger challenge was removing the existing chillers and piping in a highly congested space while keeping the live central utility plant running without disruption. Hot work permits were obtained and the crew performing the work were all OSHA trained and certified. Two obstacles stood out: managing smoke from oxy-acetylene cutting torches, and coordinating fire alarm test mode and fire watch procedures to keep the site safe throughout.

R. Baker & Son developed a site-specific safety plan that addressed both. The team reclaimed all refrigerant and prepped the chillers for removal, then used the existing refrigerant purge system fans to properly exhaust the mechanical room. This gave the space the air changes and cross-ventilation needed to cut safely without smoke buildup. The team also worked with the client to place air handler duct smoke detectors in test mode during the cutting schedule. Paired with active fire watch, this let crews disassemble the old chillers and piping quickly, with zero business interruption.

Ahead of Schedule, Ready for the Next Phase

Both chillers, along with their associated piping, were fully cut and disassembled in just two days, a full day ahead of schedule. That head start let R. Baker & Son move directly into supporting the next phase: bringing in the new heat pump chillers, rigging plate frame heat exchangers, and setting the new fluid coolers in place for the mechanical contractor.

A Model for Safe, Efficient Retrofit Work

The project delivered on every front: safety, demolition execution, and rigging support. The client was especially impressed with the refrigerant purge system solution for ventilating the mechanical space during cutting, noting that it kept the project moving without delays or setbacks.

Ready to tackle your next chiller change-out or mechanical retrofit? R. Baker & Son brings decades of demolition and rigging expertise to even the most complex, occupied-building projects. [Contact us] to see how our team can keep your project safe, on schedule, and running without interruption.

How to Protect Active Cleanrooms During Demolition: A Negative Pressure Wall...

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:21:03 EDT

Protecting a client's environment during demolition and renovation work has always been part of what we do at R. Baker & Son. Anyone in the industry knows ICRA protection, the barrier system used in hospitals to separate clean areas from active construction. Demolition airlocks serve a similar purpose, letting debris and materials move in and out of a controlled, negative-pressure environment without compromising the clean side. Clear separation between clean and dirty has always been the goal.

The Challenge: A Cleanroom That Couldn't Take Chances

One project made that goal harder than usual. A pharmaceutical client had a cleanroom corridor and clean equipment storage area sitting directly against a planned demolition and renovation zone. The R&D manager overseeing the space needed more than a standard separation wall to sign off. He was convinced that particulates would find a way into his cleanroom no matter how solid the barrier looked on paper. With strict internal protocols and a lot riding on contamination control, a wall alone wasn't going to cut it.

At the same time, he understood the demolition and renovation were necessary. The work would expand his space and support the facility's growing production needs. The challenge wasn't whether to do the project. It was proving the cleanroom would stay clean while it happened.

The Solution: A Monitored Negative Pressure Wall

Our demolition foreman and project manager designed a barrier that would do more than separate the two areas. It would let the client see and monitor cleanliness in real time.

We started with an airlock-style design and applied it to a 12-inch wall cavity, sealing the new protection wall completely at the floor and at the deck above. Once sealed, we installed a 450 CFM HEPA exhaust fan on the wall, along with filtered breather holes at the top to draw in cleaner air. A magnehelic gauge on the wall gave a constant, visible reading confirming the cavity was under negative pressure relative to the cleanroom side.

With the wall held negative, particulates and dust had nowhere to migrate. Any airborne contamination inside the cavity was pulled through the HEPA filter instead of drifting toward the clean area. The system also included a 90 dB local alarm that would sound if the filter needed changing or if the fan lost power, so the containment never went unmonitored.

The Result

We presented the design on paper first, walking the client through exactly how the negative pressure wall would protect his space before any work began. He approved the concept and stayed involved in monitoring the wall throughout construction. That level of transparency let us complete not just the demolition, but the full renovation scope, without ever raising a red flag in the R&D team's clean areas.

The client's comfort made the difference in how smoothly the project moved forward. We've since used this same negative pressure wall design on multiple projects where cleanroom or clean-space protection was non-negotiable.

Just-in-Time Rigging Keeps a Hospital Running During a Critical Enabling...

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 19:41:13 EDT

R. Baker & Son received a call from a concerned South Jersey mechanical contractor facing a complex rigging project on a tight deadline. Another rigging contractor had passed on the job late in the game, put off by its timing and complexity. The scope called for relocating several major pieces of mechanical equipment inside a busy, fully operational hospital, including two 150-HP screw air compressors and their associated dryer systems, a medical air and medical vacuum system, and two large water pre-treatment systems.

The challenge: the compressed air and water pre-treatment systems needed to be removed and relocated to the far side of a large mechanical room to make way for a new fire pump and electrical room. This work was an enabling project, clearing space ahead of a major new hospital addition.

Working Around a Live Hospital

Because the hospital couldn't accommodate any disruption to patient care, every relocation had to happen during off-hours, when demand was at its lowest. That meant the work could only take place late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

None of the equipment could be fully shut down, since every system was fully redundant. That meant moving one system at a time while its counterpart stayed online, continuously supplying clean compressed air, water pre-treatment, and medical gases to the hospital. With only a few hours to work each night, the team needed a precise plan to isolate, disconnect, and remove each redundant unit quickly and move it into position at its new home.

Rigging Route: Skates, a Crane, and a Forklift Through the Louvers

The fastest path out of the mechanical room was to set the equipment on skates and carefully roll it out. From there, an 80-ton hydraulic crane lifted each unit up and over the hospital's central utility plant to the opposite side of the building, feeding it through a set of large fresh-air louvers. On the receiving end, R. Baker & Son used one of its smaller Versa-Lift forklifts to guide the equipment through the louvers with slings and a chain block. Once inside the new mechanical room, each unit was set precisely in place, where waiting crews connected the mechanical and electrical systems within minutes.

The relocations were completed over two consecutive Saturday nights into Sunday mornings. Thanks to extensive pre-planning, the actual disconnect-remove-and-set sequence at each new location was completed within a four-hour window each night, despite extremely tight maneuvering room in a mechanical space that had grown increasingly crowded through years of hospital renovations.

Precision Planning Left Nothing to Chance

R. Baker & Son recommended that the owner have all equipment fully serviced ahead of the move to rule out any performance issues after relocation. Every piece of equipment was match-marked, with rotation direction noted as well. At the new location, each unit's footprint was marked out on the floor in advance, allowing equipment to be set within 1/16 of an inch of its intended position. Nothing was left to chance.

The hospital and R. Baker & Son's client, the mechanical contractor, were pleased that the entire project was completed during early morning hours with no interruption to hospital utility services.

How Mobile and Tower Cranes Are Assembled & Dismantled...

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:38:07 EDT

Mobile cranes come in many styles, shapes, and sizes, with the hydraulic crane and the luffing jib being the most common. R. Baker & Son has worked with just about every mobile crane on the market. Some are so large that assembling them requires multiple tractor trailers of booms and hardware, along with several smaller cranes to help put the main crane together. And of course, it takes a skilled team of riggers to assemble and later dismantle a crane that may only be needed for a single lift.

However, mobile cranes can't reach the heights or scale required to build tall buildings safely and efficiently. That's where stationary cranes come in, falling into two basic categories: internal and external. Within these, there are two primary crane types to choose from: the hammerhead crane, with its vertical mast, horizontal jib, and counterweights, and the luffing jib crane, which angles upward much like a fishing pole and also relies on counterweights. R. Baker & Son has worked with many tower crane systems as well.

Choosing the right crane depends on several factors, including the maximum weight to be lifted, the crane's overall reach, the height of the building, and how many picks are needed per day or per hour. These requirements may point to using a single crane or several, depending on the size of the project, the surrounding site conditions, and any obstacles that need to be worked around.

Let's start with what's needed to install an external crane, since these are the most common. Once the structural engineering team carefully selects the right crane for the project, erecting and eventually dismantling it involves several key steps. Here's a concise overview of the process:

Erecting an Exterior Crane

Base Installation: A substantial concrete foundation is prepared to support the crane's weight and stability. The base frame is then placed on the foundation and secured, typically with large bolts deeply embedded into the concrete.

Bracing: The crane is stabilized with diagonal braces attached to the base and the tower sections. These specifically designed and engineered braces provide lateral support, preventing swaying and ensuring structural integrity as the crane rises.

Raising the Tower: The crane operator uses a climbing frame to incrementally raise the tower. Additional sections are added through a process called "jumping," where hydraulic jacks lift the tower so new sections can be inserted underneath and connected safely by experienced riggers like R. Baker & Son.

Dismantling the Crane

Lowering the Tower: Dismantling begins by carefully removing the top components, including the jib, or horizontal arm, and the counterweights, in a specific sequence so the crane does not tip. Hydraulic jacks then lower the crane back down to its original height.

Removing Sections: Once lowered, the tower sections are taken apart in reverse order of assembly, with each section carefully removed and lowered to the ground.

Base Removal: Finally, the base is unbolted from the concrete foundation, and any remaining components are cleared from the site.

Internal Tower Cranes

Internal tower cranes take a somewhat different approach, since they don't have access to the jumping method used by exterior cranes. Instead, they operate by lifting or sliding up within an elevator shaft or other vertical opening, bracing, then lifting, achieving the same goal by a different method.

Installing an internal tower crane also requires a substantial concrete foundation with embedded bolts. The base is located strategically within an elevator shaft or similar vertical opening, and is connected to the concrete foundation. Several vertical sections are then installed, followed by the crane's cab, jib, and counterweights, all mounted carefully on top, using a smaller crane, of course.

As the building rises beyond several stories, the crane rises with it using a pair of cross-member braces that slide through the shaft wall and rest on the concrete floors. Once secured and checked by the riggers, the crane is hydraulically lifted to the next story, then braced by additional supports within the shaft. Essentially, the crane climbs and supports itself on each floor, then lifts itself to the next level.

Removing an internal tower crane can be done by several methods, though the most common involves the tower crane lifting a smaller crane, called a derrick, to the roof and mounting it to a specifically designed steel dunnage support. Once the derrick is in place, it begins dismantling the jib, counterweights, and cab. Once those are removed, the derrick lifts each vertical section out of the elevator shaft until the base section is removed and lowered to the ground outside the building.

Once that's complete, the derrick removes most of its own structure, and what remains is taken down the elevator or shaft to ground level.

R. Baker & Son has been doing this work for 90+ years and brings that experience to every project. Call us today at 732-222-3553

7 Ways Demolition Protects Communities & the Planet...

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 06:09:45 EDT

7 Ways Demolition Builds Better Communities - And Why It Matters

When most people picture demolition, they see dust clouds and falling walls. What they don't see is the careful planning, environmental responsibility, and community impact that professional demolition and dismantling companies like R. Baker & Son bring to every project.

As an experienced industrial demolition contractor, R. Baker & Son has spent decades proving that tearing things down can build better communities, cleaner environments, and stronger neighborhoods. Here are seven ways demolition and dismantling create real, lasting change.

1. Pre-Demolition Enabling Work Ensures Environmental Compliance

Before any sustainable demolition activity can begin, enabling work is often required to safely

identify and remove specific liquids, gases, and solids from a structure. This includes reclaiming refrigerant gases and oils from DX air conditioning systems, draining chilled water, hot water, and glycol from HVAC systems, emptying and cleaning old tanks or reservoirs, and removing any residual solids or powders. R. Baker & Son coordinates closely with clients, industrial hygienists, and specialized contractors to verify materials and confirm proper removal and disposal methods. This careful groundwork keeps projects clean, compliant, and environmentally responsible from day one.

2. Demolition Recycling Keeps Waste Out of Landfills

R. Baker & Son has always been environmentally ahead of the curve, championing sustainable practices that minimizes pollution, conserves natural resources, and protects biodiversity. Because of this commitment, responsible demolition recycling goes far beyond tearing things down. Proper debris identification, separation, and disposal is a critical component of every R. Baker & Son project. Rather than sending materials straight to a landfill, the team sorts, processes, and channels waste into new uses wherever possible. This rigorous on-site material management ensures that R. Baker & Son projects are 100% LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) compliant, helping clients secure all available rating points for waste diversion and material salvage. Concrete, brick, and masonry-typically, the heaviest materials on any site - are crushed and repurposed as recycled aggregate with dozens of downstream applications. Metals including copper, steel, and aluminum are recovered and recycled, as are wood and lumber, asphalt, gypsum drywall, cardboard, and plastics. Demolition recycling has come a long way, and R. Baker & Son continues to raise the bar on responsible material recovery as pioneering demolition contractors who were among the first in the industry to recycle construction site debris.

3. Clearing Vacant Properties Reduces Crime and Improves Neighborhoods

The demolition of vacant urban properties is one of the most direct ways the industrial demolition industry serves communities. Abandoned structures pose serious risks: collapsing roofs, unstable walls, and broken glass endanger neighborhood children, while the buildings are highly prone to accidental fires and arson that threaten adjacent homes. Beyond physical safety, these structures frequently become sites for illegal activity. Removing them reduces crime, cuts costs for police, fire departments, and code enforcement, and often raises surrounding property values. Once cleared, those lots can be transformed into community gardens, pocket parks, or development-ready land that helps revitalize the surrounding area.

4. Salvaging Reclaimed Building Materials Preserves Architectural History

Sustainable demolition has fueled a fast-growing market for reclaimed building materials, and recovering them is one of the more rewarding aspects of the work. Antique mantles, stained glass windows, unique doors and hardware, wrought-iron gates, decorative grilles, stonework, terra-cotta pieces, and vintage lighting all carry history worth preserving. R. Baker & Son's crews are trained to recognize and carefully extract these architectural elements during the demolition process, ensuring they are salvaged rather than lost. For homeowners and designers, a well-placed reclaimed piece becomes a focal point with a story to tell, bringing history back to life in a meaningful way.

5. Brownfield Redevelopment Restores Communities and Protects the Environment

Brownfield redevelopment has been a cornerstone of R. Baker & Son's industrial demolition services for decades. Established by the EPA in 1995, the Brownfield program addresses the cleanup and redevelopment of abandoned or underutilized properties such as former factories, gas stations, dry cleaners, and manufacturing plants. These projects remove hazardous contaminants and toxic materials including heavy metals, asbestos, lead paint, and petroleum, directly protecting local ecosystems, public health, and water quality. Beyond environmental remediation, brownfield redevelopment revitalizes communities and inspires further investment in long-neglected areas. Few undertakings in the demolition industry carry as much positive impact, and R. Baker & Son is proud to have contributed to many of them.

6. Dust, Noise, and Vibration Control Protects People and Surrounding Properties

A responsible environmental demolition contractor takes seriously its obligation to protect people and the surrounding environment throughout every project. R. Baker & Son deploys mist cannons to suppress demolition dust and uses exhaust fan systems with filtration to provide clean, ventilated air that captures airborne particulates. Demolition zones are physically separated from occupied areas using fully sealed barriers and airlocks, protecting both workers and building occupants. Where noise and vibration are a concern, R. Baker & Son develops detailed schedules that shift disruptive work to off-hours, minimizing the impact on neighbors and nearby businesses.

7. Emerging Technology Is Shaping the Future of Sustainable Demolition

The industrial demolition industry is evolving rapidly, and the future looks promising.

Autonomous vehicles and equipment are increasingly being deployed for dangerous or high-risk work, reducing crew exposure to hazardous conditions on complex projects. Advanced robotics can monitor demolition progress in real time, track environmental conditions, and operate effectively in confined spaces. Artificial intelligence is also playing a growing role, helping contractors access accurate data on building composition and subsurface conditions while supporting safety planning and regulatory compliance. R. Baker & Son stays closely attuned to these developments, always looking for ways to make projects safer, cleaner, and more efficient for clients and communities alike.

How R. Baker & Son Executes High-Stakes Projects with Engineered Work Plans...

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:03:13 EDT

Mission-critical and high-stakes projects demand detailed, preplanned coordination to ensure success at every level. When it comes to plant shutdowns, startups, repairs, changeovers, and equipment replacements, R. Baker & Son relies on a powerful, phased planning approach: starting with a Preliminary Work Plan and culminating in a highly detailed Engineered Safety Work Plan.

The Blueprint for Success: Preliminary and Engineered Work Plans

At R. Baker & Son, our planning process begins before the contract is even signed. We first prepare a Preliminary Work Plan, which outlines the general scope, sequence, and logistical approach. Once the project is awarded, we refine this initial strategy into a comprehensive Engineered Safety Work Plan.

This step-by-step document defines exactly what needs to be done, when to do it, how long each task should take, and how to safely execute complex, non-routine work. In the industrial contractor space, this plan acts as the master blueprint for critical operations. As the old saying goes: fail to plan, plan to fail.

Rigging and equipment assembly often play a central role in mission-critical work, alongside electrical, mechanical, controls, and other trades. Our Engineered Safety Work Plans are inherently sequential—designed to eliminate guesswork, prevent human error, and minimize costly downtime for industrial and medical facilities.

(Note: While an Engineered Safety Work Plan is an absolute requirement for our projects in New York City, the state of New Jersey does not strictly mandate it. For our NJ projects, we still employ rigorous preliminary planning, but we adapt our documentation to align with local regulatory requirements.)

A Real-World Example: 34.5kV Transformer Replacement at a Major Medical Facility

To understand the value of this phased planning in action, consider a recent mission-critical project. The R. Baker team was tasked with removing and replacing two large 34.5kV air-cooled transformers serving a new medical facility.

The scope of this high-stakes project also included placing a temporary one-megawatt generator to maintain backup power for critical building systems throughout the swap. These systems included:

Facility cooling infrastructure
MDF and IDF data rooms
Sensitive medical equipment areas

The project was scheduled to begin Friday at noon and be fully complete by Sunday afternoon, with permanent power restored before building occupancy resumed Monday morning at 6:00 a.m. A detailed work plan was the only way to ensure everything went according to schedule during this time-sensitive shutdown.

What the Engineered Safety Work Plan Included

A comprehensive work plan leaves nothing to chance. For this transformer replacement, the document detailed:

Personnel and Communication: Every person on-site with their contact information for real-time communication throughout the project.
Equipment and Tooling: Every tool and piece of equipment required from each trade—including all electrical components, rigging gear, and specialty hardware.
Safety Protocols: Comprehensive safety measures covering lockout/tagout procedures, protective electrical equipment, specialty safety tools, and required barriers.
Timeline and Sequence: A detailed sequence and timeline for every phase of the work, serving as the core of the document.

Executing the Plan: Step-by-Step Precision

R. Baker partnered with the electrical contractor to plan the project from start to finish. Execution began with the installation of the temporary one-megawatt generator, followed by a controlled building shutdown that transferred critical systems to backup power. The electrical utility shut power precisely at noon and locked out the system.

The two existing transformers were prepped for removal. Meanwhile, the new 34.5kV transformers—which had been stored, tested, and staged at the Baker facility—arrived on two separate lowboy tractor trailers exactly two hours later, right on schedule.

Using an 80-ton hydraulic crane with slings and spreader bars, the Baker rigging team carefully removed the existing transformers and set the new units onto the existing concrete pads. The transformers were securely anchored using approved epoxy anchors. Baker also installed and connected the secondary bus work housing unit, where all 480V terminations and intricate copper bus work were completed.

Per the work plan's projected timeline, the full removal and replacement of both transformers was accomplished within a six-hour window. This efficiency gave the electrical crews the next 24 hours to complete terminations before the testing team arrived to prepare for power-up.

The temporary transformers were secured onto the lowboy trailers and returned to the Baker warehouse for temporary storage and eventual resale. On Sunday afternoon, exactly as projected, permanent power was restored to the building. Baker crews then removed the temporary generator and cabling, with everything packed and ready for pickup by 6:00 p.m.

The Result: On-Time and Without Incident

Following the installation, the client's engineering and maintenance teams walked the facility to verify that all building systems were operating correctly and that cooling in critical areas was fully functional. The project was completed on time, without incident, and the building was ready for occupancy as scheduled.

Perhaps the greatest value of a well-executed Engineered Safety Work Plan isn't just the sequencing—it's that detailed planning surfaces questions and solves problems on paper long before they can become real, costly problems in the field.

Partner with R. Baker & Son on Your Next Mission-Critical Project

For over 90 years, R. Baker & Son has been planning and executing mission-critical work at the highest levels across industrial, commercial, and medical facilities.

If you have an upcoming plant shutdown, 34.5kV transformer replacement, or complex rigging project that demands precision and a flawless Engineered Safety Work Plan, give us a call. We'd be glad to discuss the details and show you how our expertise can help you succeed.

MRI & Medical Imaging Equipment Rigging: A Turnkey Installation Case Study...

Wed, 27 May 2026 11:22:20 EDT

Medical equipment rigging and installation requires a specialized approach to protect high-value, delicate assets. At R. Baker, we successfully navigate these complex rigging projects using meticulous planning, specialized heavy-duty transportation, precision hoisting, and a highly skilled crew.

On one particular project, R. Baker & Son was selected to perform the rigging and installation of several medical imaging machines into a tight and low clearnance area. This including two MRIs, one CT scanner, and one PET scanner, along with their associated medical chillers and support equipment.

Several months before the imaging equipment arrived onsite, R. Baker & Son developed a detailed safety and engineering logistics plan that met and exceeded all the regulations of the facility and equipment requirements. We installed the four associated medical chillers onto the waiting rooftop supports. Getting the chillers in place early ensured that each scanner's glycol cooling system would be fully operational and tested well before the machines were brought into the building.

MRI magnets are extremely heavy, and because of their sensitivity cannot be handled roughly or tilted beyond specific manufacturer tolerances without risking severe damage to the internal coils. Superconducting MRIs also contain hundreds of liters of liquid helium, which must be transported separately and installed only after the machines are properly positioned.

The medical imaging equipment on this project needed to be installed on the second and third floors of a new medical facility. Several access paths had been predetermined, and openings were either created or left unfinished to allow safe passage of the equipment into the building. This included a removable section of window and exterior wall. The imaging magnets themselves weighed anywhere from 3,800 to 8,000 pounds. To hoist and position them, the team used an 80-ton hydraulic crane and a flat spreader platform fitted with guide plates, commonly known in the industry as a "cookie sheet."

While the imaging magnets were being craned into place, additional R. Baker & Son crews worked in parallel using three available elevators to bring in various equipment, control panels, hardware, and protective materials. One elevator measured 8 by 10 feet with a weight capacity of up to 4,000 pounds. Throughout the process, solid floor protection was laid down over the facility's epoxy, terrazzo, and sheet vinyl flooring.

As each piece of equipment arrived onsite, it was inspected by both the manufacturers and R. Baker & Son for any signs of damage or irregularities. With the spreader platform already staged on the flatbed beside the scanner, the team was able to smoothly and safely transfer each unit into position. The equipment was then secured and hoisted to the designated opening, carefully rigged into the building, and placed onto adjustable skates with nylon wheels. These allowed the team to transport each machine down the corridor to its final destination with precision, guided by exact floor markings.

Working alongside each manufacturer, R. Baker & Son assembled all major components along with support hardware in the control rooms. This coordination allowed the equipment manufacturers to begin interconnect wiring and functional testing as quickly as possible. Cooling systems were operational and ready. Liquid helium was brought in a few days later and installed in the machines.

Because medical equipment rigging and assembly is vastly more complex than standard machinery moving, it demands an elite level of expertise. Recognizing this, the manufacturer partnered with R. Baker’s experienced riggers and millwrights to streamline the assembly process and keep the project firmly on schedule.

Once installation was complete, the team removed all floor protection and seamlessly reinstalled the exterior window and wall systems as part of their turnkey service. Months of meticulous planning culminated in a flawless, three-day execution. By managing every minute detail, R. Baker ensured a smooth workflow from start to finish, leaving both the equipment manufacturers and hospital staff extremely pleased with the results.

Hospital Boiler Room Demolition: Removing Steam Boilers and Mechanical...

Wed, 20 May 2026 11:37:04 EDT

R. Baker & Son was tasked with a complex demolition project at an active hospital, systematically removing two aging Cleaver-Brooks steam boilers (a 350 HP and a 200 HP unit), along with an associated deaerator, steam-to-hot-water heat exchangers, and a 2,500-gallon hot water storage tank. As with all hospital work, this project required extensive pre-planning and enabling work before any demolition could begin.

Hospital mechanical rooms present unique challenges. These spaces are typically congested with years of layered conduit, piping, ductwork, and plumbing installations, all of which must be carefully navigated before any equipment can be touched.

Starting with the Hot Water Storage Tank

The first order of business was removing the old, inefficient 2,500-gallon domestic hot water storage tank. However, that removal could only proceed after three new high-efficiency steam-to-hot-water boilers were installed and made operational, ensuring the hospital would have an uninterrupted source of domestic hot water throughout the project.

Environmental Testing and Preparation

Before any demolition work began, all insulation was carefully tested for asbestos and all painted metal surfaces were tested for lead paint, with particular attention given to the old boiler flues and related components. Once environmental clearance was granted, R. Baker & Son worked closely with the hospital maintenance staff to properly ventilate and exhaust the mechanical room.

With ventilation in place, crews carefully removed all insulation from the hot water tank and its associated piping. All related mechanical and electrical systems were then properly marked, locked out, and tagged out in preparation for demolition. The crew utilized Sawzalls, cutting torches, and grinders as needed, along with a small battery-operated forklift to maneuver materials in the tight space.

Once the hot water storage tank was removed in sections and all associated piping was cut back to the mains, attention shifted to the two steam boilers, which were no longer needed with warmer weather arriving.

Clearing the Way for New Equipment

Working alongside the hospital maintenance staff and the project design engineer, R. Baker & Son identified and removed several exhaust ducts, electrical conduit runs, and piping lines that no longer served an active purpose. Several sprinkler lines and four larger plumbing lines also required rerouting to make way for the demolition and the installation of four new high-efficiency Aerco hot water boilers.

Boiler Removal

The two Cleaver-Brooks boilers were systematically shut down, locked out, and tagged out. Natural gas and fuel lines were carefully removed and capped. The crew then removed the boiler flues and waterside economizers, followed by both burner assemblies. The outer casing, fire tubes, and combustion chambers were then stripped away. Simultaneously, the deaerator tank, its metal frame, and the condensate pumps were cut and removed in sections. All associated steam piping, steam-to-hot-water heat exchangers, and the steam manifold were removed back to the main and capped. Both boilers were fully broken down and removed in pieces through the mechanical room's double doors, loaded onto a waiting truck for scrap recycling.

Final Scope and Site Preparation

As part of the overall project scope, R. Baker & Son also removed makeup water lines, condensate lines, and various mechanical hangers and supports. This cleared the necessary space for a new large concrete housekeeping pad, which will serve as the foundation for the new Aerco hot water boilers replacing the Cleaver-Brooks units.

A Satisfied Client and Future Work

The hospital's maintenance staff and their director expressed strong satisfaction with the safety measures maintained throughout the project, including daily mechanical room ventilation, fire watches, and strict lockout/tagout protocols. Operating in a tight, active environment with little room to spare, the R. Baker & Son team delivered the attention to detail the project demanded. The hospital is already planning to replace several aging chillers with new high-efficiency units and has brought R. Baker & Son back to perform that work as well.

Data Center & Energy Infrastructure Rigging: The Turnkey Experts for the...

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:13:38 EDT

The digital economy and the new energy economy are being built simultaneously - and both require moving extremely heavy, extremely expensive, and extremely sensitive equipment with zero margin for error.

R. Baker & Son has been doing exactly that since 1935. As a family-owned, M/WBE-certified rigging and machinery-moving specialist - and North America's oldest and largest M/WBE-certified demolition contractor - we are the turnkey partner of choice for data centers, power infrastructure developers, and energy facility operators across the United States, Canada, and beyond.

The Equipment Is Getting Heavier. The Stakes Are Getting Higher.

Today's data centers are no longer just buildings full of servers. They are massive power facilities - and the infrastructure required to build, expand, and upgrade them has grown accordingly. At the same time, the broader energy landscape is shifting fast. New power generation, storage, and distribution technologies are moving from concept to commercial scale, and every one of them involves heavy equipment that needs to be moved, placed, and installed by people who know what they're doing.

Whether it's a 100-ton utility transformer, a large-scale battery energy storage system, a hydrogen fuel cell installation, or the next generation of modular power infrastructure - if it's heavy, mission-critical, and has to go in right the first time, that's our work.

What We Do

Heavy Equipment Rigging & Installation Transformers, substations, switchgear, generators, UPS systems, battery storage modules, cooling infrastructure, fuel cells, and emerging energy systems of every description. We bring cranes, hydraulic gantries, air skates, precision strand jacks, and custom-engineered lift solutions - whatever the load demands.

Live Data Center Protection Hyperscale downtime costs $9,000 per minute or more. We are recognized leaders in performing complex rigging and installation work inside fully operational facilities without disrupting a single system. Custom enclosures, fine-mesh protective netting, and phased execution keep your environment live while we work.

Selective Demolition & Phased Upgrades Removing old infrastructure from a live facility is as technically demanding as installing new. On a major Verizon project in New Jersey, we removed fuel cells and cooling modules from a fully operational mission-critical facility with all systems running throughout.

Asset Recovery & Sustainable Decommissioning Transformers, generators, UPS units, breakers, and power equipment at end of life still carry significant value. Our recovery and refurbishment program helps clients offset project costs - and in today's constrained equipment market, recovered assets are genuinely strategic.

Warehousing & Project Staging With transformer lead times now stretching two to five years and new energy equipment requiring precise delivery sequencing, secure warehousing is a critical project management tool. We receive, inspect, and stage your heavy equipment so it's protected and ready exactly when your site needs it.

Why R. Baker & Son

90+ years of hands-on experience with the heaviest, most technically demanding industrial rigging in North America
M/WBE certified — the oldest and largest in the demolition and rigging industry
Award-winning safety record - more OSHA VPP Star project participation than nearly any other contractor in the industry
In-house master riggers and professional engineers developing custom plans before anything moves
True turnkey execution - one team, one point of accountability, start to finish

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of energy infrastructure does R. Baker & Son rig? Everything that powers, cools, or supports a data center or energy facility, and everything that connects it to the grid. That includes high-voltage transformers and substations, switchgear and automatic transfer switches, generators, UPS systems, flywheel energy storage, battery energy storage systems (BESS), rectifiers and DC power infrastructure, coolant distribution units (CDUs), chiller plants, cooling towers, bus duct and busway systems, fuel cells, prefabricated modular data center units, high-density GPU server assemblies, solar inverter skids, and next-generation power infrastructure of all types. If it's heavy, mission-critical, and needs to go in right - that's our work.

Can you work inside a live, operating data center? Yes - it's a core specialty. Proper planning, protective systems, and phased execution allow us to perform complex rigging inside live environments as standard practice.

Do you handle long lead-time equipment storage? Yes. Our warehousing and staging service holds your equipment securely until your site is ready - a critical capability given today's transformer and energy equipment supply timelines.

Where do you work? Throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Europe.

Let's Talk About Your Project

If your project involves heavy power equipment, in a data center, an energy facility, or anywhere in between - R. Baker & Son is ready. We'll deliver the Baker Best: unmatched expertise, iron-clad protection for your live systems, and true turnkey peace of mind backed by 90 years of getting it right.

R. Baker & Son 190 Boundary Road, Marlboro, NJ 07746 📞 732-222-3553

Contact us today for a no-obligation pre-construction consultation.

Industrial Drum Refinishing Support: A Custom Rigging and Structural Solution...

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:59:29 EDT

When a manufacturer we had previously performed rigging assembly and installation work for returned more than a year later with a unique and complex challenge, they knew who to call. The company needed to strip the finish from eight dryer drums and have a new stainless finish applied as part of critical equipment maintenance. They turned to R. Baker to make it happen.

The project came with several significant obstacles. With four machines on the floor, only one could be taken offline at a time while the remaining three stayed in operation. That required our team to carefully isolate each dryer from its utilities and install separation curtains to protect the active equipment.

The surface refinishing contractor had highly specific requirements to successfully remove and reapply a finish on each drum. The process had zero tolerance for inconsistencies, and it had to be completed quickly since the contractor was already committed to other projects overseas.

The finishing beam used in the process weighed 2,600 lbs and had to be perfectly parallel and level to the drum it was refinishing, both within less than 1/64 of an inch. As the drum rotated at a precise 5 RPM, the finishing beam traveled along its length, simultaneously removing the old surface and applying the new one. Any movement or deflection in the support structure would compromise the finish and potentially distort the drum itself, which would have been a costly and time-consuming setback.

With eight drums to refinish, the finishing beam needed to be relocated from drum to drum every 48 to 56 hours. Each drum had slightly different surrounding dimensions, meaning support configurations could not simply be replicated from one setup to the next. Adding to the complexity, each drum measured 4 feet wide by 16 feet long and sat eight feet above the finished floor, making anchoring the finishing beam a significant engineering challenge.

Our team assessed the full scope of the project and designed a custom support system engineered to work across all eight drums using a small number of anchor points and threaded adjustments for precise leveling. Rather than building a dedicated structure for each drum, we developed a modular solution that could be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled in one to two hours and relocated efficiently between setups. We engaged a trusted structural engineer to assist with the design, allowing the steel to move from concept to fabrication quickly. Our team successfully relocated the dryer refinishing system from drum to drum on a 48-hour cycle or better throughout the project.

Our client was pleased with the outcome. All eight drums were refinished to specification, and the facility returned to full operation on schedule. At the conclusion of the project, the custom support system was disassembled, packaged, and stored on-site for future use when the need arises again.