|
PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Dura-Wrap puts the heat on corrosion, wear and tear With steady boat business as an anchor, Dura-Wrap proves the magic of shrink-wrap can serve industries like oil and gas Dawnell Smith PNA Contributing Writer
What do a historical preservation project, a hurricane-damaged school, a vintage Harley Davidson and a slew of North Star modules have in common? They were all shrink-wrapped by Dura-Wrap Containments and Plastic Supply of Wasilla, the only mobile shrink-wrap operation in the state.
Now in its sixth year of business, Dura-Wrap has supplied and applied shrink-wrap in remarkable ways. The company built a lasting and protective enclosure for a preservation effort in Michigan, allowing crews to continue work on the 150-year-old home all winter and saving considerable time in completing the project.
Likewise, Dura-Wrap covered and sealed the skylights and walls of a school and other buildings damaged by Hurricane George in 1998. Not only did the material allow for easier clean up and repairs, it also protected the structures from further wind and rain damage.
People even hire Dura-Wrap to make awnings and enclosures for pools, hot tubs and greenhouses as well as to prepare products for storage and shipment. Past jobs include wrapping a vintage Harley, custom logs, nuclear components, Quaker Oats equipment and modules.
“Why use something that won’t make the trip?” said John Hutchinson, a former trucker who learned the ins and outs of moving cargo when he drove rigs for a marine operation in the early 1990s.
While hauling those boats, he noticed the reliability of shrink-wrap and began to envision the product’s other possibilities. After all, if a taut plastic shell can weatherize and protect boats, then why not use it as a protective cocoon for barge and rail freight, heavy equipment and modules?
“We can shrink wrap almost anything as long as it’s not living, or breathing with lungs,” said Cindy Hutchinson, owner of Dura-Wrap.
Why and how it works The thermo plastic film known as shrink-wrap provides an environmentally sound, impermeable barrier that protects virtually any commodity from the elements, according to the Hutchinsons. When done correctly, the slick weatherproof shell prevents corrosion, reduces pilferage and can keep birds and other critters from doing damage, they said.
Before finding the right product for Alaska’s harsh climate, the couple experimented with different plastics and ultimately decided to use two to three manufacturers from the Lower 48 to make the product to their specifications. Unlike other plastic wraps that get brittle and break, Dura-Wrap’s low-density polyethylene with UV inhibitors can withstand intense cold, wind, sun and precipitation over a long period of time, John Hutchinson said.
To apply the plastic, the shrink-wrap crew uses propane-powered heat guns, shrink tape, strapping material and other supplies to secure the plastic. When heat of about 225 degrees Fahrenheit is applied correctly, the material shrinks by up to 30 percent, creating a form-fitting cocoon that contains and protects everything within its shell.
A small job like a Jet Ski costs about $100 and takes John less than an hour to complete, but he bids major projects by the square foot and often has to come up with innovative ways of applying the product to achieve the desired results.
In the end, the outlay for the plastic barrier pays for itself, he said. A boat owner might pay $150 to get a 22-foot boat wrapped, but could “end up spending three times that amount to repair the boat” when tarps or other plastics are used, he said. Plus, the process helps prevent theft.
“It deters pilferage and they (customers) can catalogue what’s underneath it,” Cindy said.
From hobby to full-time job When the Hutchinsons got into the business in 1995, they simply wanted John to spend less time at the wheel and more time at home.
Initially, the couple looked at the business as a hobby, but after spending time educating potential clients and doing demos, they got more and more work. Since people with boats already knew the merits of the product, Dura-Wrap got the bulk of its business from boat owners. That client base still makes up a hefty portion of business each fall.
In one major Outside job, John and his crew spent months working for Offshore Marina Inc. in Lake Powell, Utah. While there, they covered hundreds of boats and taught Offshore’s staff how to apply the material, which prompted the president of Offshore to write an endorsement. (See the Web site, www.durawrap.com.)
As the company grew, it gained a more diverse business mix through clients like VECO Alaska Inc., Flowline Alaska and the City of Kotzebue, which uses shrink-wrap as a protective layer around bales of garbage. Not only does the product improve the way the city stacks and handles garbage, it also helps keep ravens and other animals out of the trash.
Ultimately, Dura-Wrap will inevitably use its specialized plastic and skill in equally surprising ways. Instead of guessing what they will shrink-wrap next, the Hutchinsons put their sights on industries like barge freight, oil and gas, and construction.
The challenge remains overcoming the Alaskan fondness for tarps, duct tape and plywood. Although cheap and useful, those products rip, tear, fly off and get mud-soaked in no time, said John. Of course, pictures speak a thousand words, so the Hutchinsons catalogue photos of their work to prove that their product stands the test of time much better than the alternatives.
Keeping modules, instruments squeaky clean Oil industry professionals have discovered the benefits of shrink-wrap as a means to save time and money. Once applied on modules, gauges, instruments and other gear, the hardy plastic keeps the enclosed areas clean and protected, said John.
When the customer needs access, the biodegradable material is simply cut off and thrown it away.
“Our shrink-wrap cuts overhead because you don’t have to have everything cleaned and serviced” after transport or storage, said Cindy.
With loyal fans within the oil and gas industry, the Hutchinsons expect plenty of activity next March. That business should build on their expansion projections. Already, the couple’s faith in their product and services has paid off. The company grew about 75 percent in 2000 and is expected to grow about the same amount this year.
| 