DeLong's undertaking major improvement at facility

Union ironworkers Neil Schlup, left, and Paul Schlup, no relation, from A & H, of Columbia, torch the old main crane way so it can be dismantled Wednesday morning at DeLong's Inc. on Dix Road. The company is replacing the 50-year-old crane with a new, larger model that will increase their lifting capacity to 50 tons. One new crane has already been installed and a third will be added next year.
Union ironworkers Neil Schlup, left, and Paul Schlup, no relation, from A & H, of Columbia, torch the old main crane way so it can be dismantled Wednesday morning at DeLong's Inc. on Dix Road. The company is replacing the 50-year-old crane with a new, larger model that will increase their lifting capacity to 50 tons. One new crane has already been installed and a third will be added next year.

Work is under way on a major improvement project at the DeLong's Inc. site off of Dix Road in Jefferson City, and it will continue for the next several weeks.

"We are replacing the main craneway, which was originally put in back in 1959," said Bob Bachta, executive vice president and general manager at DeLong's. "At that time, we had a 7 1/2-ton lifting capacity. And over the years, we went up 20 tons. The improvements we're making now will bring our capacity to 50 tons. In addition, our column spacing is much wider to move long material in and out of the craneway."