“Our Track Record Says It All” – An Executive Interview

With decades of experience finding solutions to our customers often complex Dust Collection needs, Baghouse.com as acquired extensive experience overcoming obstacles foreseen and unforeseen.

Read what our Director of Operations, David DalSanto, who has been with the company since its inception nearly three decades ago, has to say about some of the most exceptional projects Baghouse.com has completed.

What former projects of Baghouse.com are you the most proud of having been a part of?

David – “John Deere – Central Foundry – Waterloo, IA – A violent explosion in the furnace Baghouse did extensive damage to the structure, including the housing, tube sheet and roof structures. We brought in a very large crew and worked around the clock, “improvising and adapting” as the repairs progressed. We sourced many of the needed repair parts, but also fabricated the main parts and structures we needed on site. We had the entire Baghouse system back on line in only nine days.”

What were some of the most challenging projects that you have tackled?

David -  “Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. – Topeka, KS – Old ‘Envelope” style Dust Collectors by W.W. Sly & Pangborn were a “maintenance headache” for the plant. We did multiple Pulse-Jet conversions to the existing Dust Collectors. By removing the inner workings and roof structures we made room to install modern Clean Air Plenums. We modified the ductwork and installed High Efficiency Cylindrical Filter Bags and cages to take advantage of the Pulse-Jet cleaning system.”

What were the specific problems that you had to face?

David – “Most units were in the center of a large building, an area that could not be serviced by conventional cranes.”

Follow Up Question – How did you overcome those problems?

David -  “New equipment had to be  installed using Helicopter lifts. As licensed pilot/aircraft owner myself, I know well just how dangerous these aerial maneuvers are, and the great skill, and expertise that are needed to execute these operations safety. Despite all of the challenges we faced to getting this Baghouse back up and running, downtime for each conversion was only 3 to 4 days each. Again remarkable considering the circumstances.”

What do you feel are some of the greatest dangers you know of regarding safety on the job site, and how do you handle them?

David -  “Several dangers present themselves regularly in our line of work. #1 – Harmful gases leaking into the work area. #2 – Unsafe structures/hazard of falling objects. #3 – Fire hazards during welding/cutting operations. We work with our foremen, safety personnel and plant representatives to identify all of these dangers specific to each job before we begin. We then brief our people accordingly, enabling them to keep a close watch for these hazards and avoid them.”

“The greatest danger we encounter however is; unsafe materials hoisting practices by plant or outside contractor personnel. Because of my personal experience as a Structural Iron Worker and Heavy Machinery Mover, I know full well the immense danger to life that this process posses.  I have seen first hand the tragedy that results when people who are not qualified to carry out this task, or simply have a disregard lifting/hoisting safety measures.”

“As such, we prefer to do our own lifting/hoisting.. All of which is directly lead by a duly trained foreman, with extensive training and experience conducting these lifts safely and properly.”

What are some of the biggest mistakes you notice other companies make when servicing a Dust Collector?

David – “#1 – Incorrect handling/installation practices on specialty filters such as Fiberglass and PTFE Membrane medias. #2. Incorrect tensioning procedures on structural filter bags. #3 – Incorrect start up settings/procedures and Incorrect operations procedures.”

“In many cases we are called to fix another company’s mistakes. We often find that a rushed operation, or an overall lack of technical expertise &  attention for detail on account of the contractor has caused many problems. These shortcomings later on, needed to be corrected by Baghouse.com during subsequent maintenance visits.”

What would you say makes Baghouse.com different from your competitors?

David – “We care about our customers and we do everything possible to help get their operation running as efficiently as possible or get them back up and running quickly after problems do arise.”

“We have a long history of successfully responding to Emergency Breakdown situations in which we were able to get the customer back into operation quickly with minimum downtown, and lost productivity. This is no easy task, and you will be hard-pressed to find another company capable of duplicating our successes in this area.”

“We also have initiated many Regular Maintenance Programs, Environmental Emissions & Energy Audits, that to this day continue saving our customers money through avoiding violations and unplanned downtime, and increasing efficiency.”

“We don’t just sell you a part or a service -  find the best solutions to get you running again!”