McElroy equipment plays key role in Honolulu dredging project

Two TracStar® fusion machines. Two DataLogger® 6s. A series of McElroy Pipe Rollers. And two McElroy certified fusion technicians. That’s all it took for Pacific Pump and Power to fuse 10,000’ of 8” high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe in just six days. That’s an average of 21 fusions a day, per machine! The gorgeous rainbow was complimentary.

Despite this productivity, the job had its challenges. The machines were situated on top of barges on the Ala Wai Canal in Honolulu. There was constant up-and-down movement and a bit of a fight with the wind and water. But they were able to fuse in the same location as the growing string of fused pipe was pulled upstream.

The canal lies adjacent to the Waikiki tourist district and was created in 1928 as a primary drainage corridor. The temporary HDPE pipeline was built to carry away dredged material from the canal.

“My crews work hard to be efficient when we are fusing so we can get a lot done in as minimal time as possible without skimping on any of the standards,” said Paul Leonard, general manager with Pacific Pump and Power. “Everything was logged and uploaded to the Vault™ so you can see exactly what they did and their timelines.”

Fusion Operator Reid Merck said that they use PolyHorses on all their jobs. “It keeps our pipe level and makes it easier to move around (the jobsite). They’re good for fusing long runs,” he said.

The DataLogger is also a constant. “We don’t fuse without it. Sometimes they ask for logs on our joints. If anything happens, it’s backup assurance,” Merck said.

In addition to Certified McElroy Rental fusion equipment, Pacific Pump and Power has expertise in many areas including pumps, fittings, light towers, air compressors and generators. But Merck said he would rather be fusing pipe than anything. We won’t argue with that!