 |
| The Superior Midwest Energy Terminal makes loading a thousand-footer look easy. |
|
A model of efficiency
The paint was barely dry on the place, in 1976, when the terminal gained recognition for the excellence of its design and construction. Plaques on a wall of Midwest Energy's office building speak volumes. One plaque recognizes the terminal as one of 10 outstanding engineering achievements in 1976, as determined by the National Society of Engineers. Another plaque names the terminal the country's outstanding civil engineering achievement as cited by the American Society of Civil Engineers in its 1977 competition.
But the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal wasn't built to win awards; it was built to move coal. The coal in question is high-BTU, low-sulfur coal, primarily from Montana and Wyoming. Put most simply, the coal reaches Superior in rail cars; it is unloaded at the terminal; and then it is subsequently loaded onto ships, most of them destined for Monroe or St. Clair, Mich. With exquisite and thoroughly deceptive grace, the terminal's equipment and staff make the process look almost that easy. Fred Shusterich, president of Midwest Energy Resources Company - owner of the terminal and itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Detroit Edison Company - credits the terminal's productivity and efficiency to its design and its people. "This is a state of the art facility. More important, we have talented, versatile people," he says. "We have a lot of crossover between jobs, with many people capable of doing more than one task.
"We work hard at communication. We have company-union management teams in place. We operate as 'we' - not 'us versus them.' "Plus, we run it like a family. There is a strong work ethic in the company, operating with the motto, 'Whatever it takes.' " Other plaques tell more of the Midwest Energy story: The Superior Midwest Energy Terminal is literally a model of efficiency. That starts with the coal, highly sought after for the qualities that help make the power plants that use it compliant with contemporary environmental regulations.
The rail cars that carry the coal to St. Louis Bay at the mouth of the St. Louis River are another key factor in the efficiency equation. The trains enter the 200 acre terminal site via a 3.5 mile perimeter track. The cars are built with rotating couplers so they can be turned upside down for unloading without being uncoupled from the rest of the train. Unloading the unit trains, each comprised of 115 aluminum cars, proceeds at the rate of 4,000 tons per hour. Moving the cars and unloading them is accomplished by remote control. The coal can be held at the storage pile or transfered directly to the loading dock and shiploader. If held at the storage pile, it can be blended with other coals to the specifications of the user. The productivity theme continues at the dock, where Midwest Energy can load the Great Lakes' most efficient vessels in about three and a quarter hours. Last year 307 vessels were loaded at Midwest Energy's dock. About 85 percent of the vessels that Midwest Energy loads are thousand-footers. Despite its apparent simplicity, this is an astonishingly technical - and high tech - process. And, according to Mr. Shusterich, the entire process can be operated by two workers. The entire company employs only 66 people. That's 66 people for 16 million tons of coal. Actually, that's 16 and counting. Asis, the Midwest Energy terminal can process about 18 million tons of coal a year. With a second car dumper, capacity could increase to 24 million tons a year. *** The Duluth-Superior shipping season opened on March 17 with the departure of Interlake Steamship Company's Paul R. Tregurtha, destined for Presque Isle, Mich. The cargo was 57,150 metric tons of coal. The Superior Midwest Energy Terminal was on its way to another outstanding year. *** One more plaque: This one, also in the offices of Midwest Energy Resources Company, proclaims Fred Shusterich and a partner to be horseshoe pitching champions. Mr. Shusterich confirms that this title has been won at the company's annual picnic, and he acknowledges that, after winning for the past two years, he is determined to become a "threepeat champion." This company is, after all, about setting goals. And beating them. |
|
for more information, contact:
|
