A Heavy Haul Masterpiece

When a heavy, oversized masterpiece needed a short lift, Landstar experts had the solution.

At 32 feet long and nearly 13 feet wide, this stainless steel sculpture was specifically designed to be showcased in front of the Breslin Center at Michigan State University (MSU). When its makers, RWI Manufacturing, completed the 6,140-pound sculpture, the heavy, oversized masterpiece needed a short lift from Owosso to East Lansing using transportation solutions from Landstar.

To make the move happen, RWI Manufacturing, Owosso’s leading metal fabricators, turned to their trusted relationship with the city’s leading transportation logistics experts, father and son agent team, Mike and Brandon LePior.

The agency, L-5 Transportation Inc., has provided transportation services for RWI’s parent company, Tri-Mer Corporation, for the last 30 years. When faced with the new challenge from their longtime customer, the agency was prepared.

“We provide custom transportation solutions to these companies for everything they do,” said Mike LePior. “They only trust Landstar with their products and special project cargo because we make sure all the details are covered and accounted for.”

To ensure the customer’s large freight would move securely with damage-free delivery, the LePiors identified a business capacity fleet owner and secured a Landstar double drop, three-axle extendable trailer for the move.

“The extendable trailer was key to this move,” explained Brandon LePior. “The trailer was expanded to 30 feet, then a five-ton overhead crane lifted the steel structure onto the trailer, and the sculpture was carefully secured with chains and straps for the move.”

Even though the large load would travel just 32 miles from Owosso to MSU, proper permits and escorts were still required. So, the agents surveyed the route the freight would travel and pulled the necessary state permits.

“Doing the survey on this was easy because I know the area and the path to MSU like the back of my hand,” said Mike LePior. “We mapped out the route with the massive load in mind. There were certain areas we had to avoid in downtown that wouldn’t allow the structure to pass without being damaged.”

Surveying the route wasn’t the only extra-effort the father and son team made for the local haul. During loading, Mike, who has experience on the road and in securement, helped the driver carefully strap and chain the freight to guarantee claim-free delivery.

“This sculpture is very significant to our community in Owosso and at MSU, so we made sure every detail was accounted for – and on this move, that meant ensuring the freight was secured 100 percent correctly, to prevent risk of damage,” said Brandon LePior.

It took 90 minutes to move the oversized load 32 miles to its final destination. Every precaution the team made during the haul, protected the freight and exceeded the customer’s expectations. Seeing the sculpture displayed in front of the Breslin Center, has a special meaning for the LePiors and the team at L-5 Transportation.

“We are proud to see it, knowing we made it happen,” said LePior, “It took two local companies in Owosso – RWI to create this beautiful piece and our Landstar agency, whose efforts successfully transported this massive artwork to MSU,” said LePior.