Shugart is a respected manufacturer of high-quality barges, specializing in delivering durable, reliable solutions for waterway transport and marine industries. With decades of experience, they have built a reputation for crafting barges that meet the rigorous demands of their clients. Known for their innovation and commitment to excellence, Shugart continues to lead in the marine manufacturing sector.

To keep up with growing production demands and improve the quality of their barge manufacturing process, Shugart aimed to implement a custom blasting solution capable of handling the large scale and complexity of their products. The primary goal was to enhance the efficiency of their surface preparation process while maintaining high safety standards and optimizing workflow within their Chester, SC facility.

The main challenge was designing a system that could accommodate the sheer size of the barges while ensuring full coverage of all surfaces. The solution needed to facilitate efficient blasting of both the tops and bottoms of the barges and ensure that workers had safe access to all areas without compromising speed or safety standards. This required a comprehensive setup that incorporated easy accessibility, material handling, and a sustainable blasting process.

BlastOne provided Shugart with a custom-designed manual blast booth tailored to their needs. The blast booth featured inside dimensions of 20’W x 22’H x 50’L, supported by a durable hoop-style I-beam steel structure and galvanized interlocking Lynx-style panels for robust construction. To enable safe access to all parts of the barge, a single-sided catwalk ran the full length of one 50’ wall, allowing workers to efficiently blast the top sections of the barges. Additionally, the booth was equipped with a pass-thru design, featuring a rubber roll-up door at the entry end and a swing product door at the exit end, facilitating smooth material handling.

A key feature of the solution was the inclusion of crane access, allowing the safe lifting of large barge components into the booth. This crane access ensured that the barge sections could be easily moved, improving workflow efficiency between blasting and other manufacturing processes.

Furthermore, BlastOne installed a U-shape abrasive recovery system that included oscillating conveyors with pedestrian-rated grating, a high-capacity bucket elevator, and an airwash system. This ensured effective recycling of abrasive materials, minimizing waste and enhancing environmental sustainability. The system was also paired with a dust collection unit capable of 22,000 CFM, which provided a cleaner working environment and met industry standards for air quality.