ALMA VERY LARGE ANTENNA TELESCOPE ARRAY
Protective Packaging Corporation has been called on many times to handle diverse but demanding assignments where there isn't much time for a learning curve, and the job must absolutely be done right the first time.
General Dynamics of Kilgore, Texas charged Protective Packaging with the challenge of packaging and transporting a very large antenna, nicknamed "The Blob", that was to become the first unit in the "Atacama Large Millimeter Array," or ALMA. Protective Packaging was to design and install packaging for the 161,000 lbs unit that would provide protection against moisture and corrosion during transport over the road from Kilgore to Houston, over the water from Houston to Santiago, Chile and over the road again from Santiago to the foothills of the Andes Mountains.
We performed our protective packaging work at the General Dynamics manufacturing facility in Kilgore, Texas. Protective Packaging first installed a fully enveloping moisture barrier bag of a material we call PROPAK 7000 and then covered the device with a reinforced tarp material called Armorlon AT-200. Finally, the protected assembly was placed upon a substantial steel "lifting frame" by the manufacturer's rigging dept. We are completely confident (as in a 100% guarantee) the wrapping process will ensure corrosion-proof arrival at the site.