Schwing Expands Boom Inspector / Welder Team

In response to increasing customer demand, Schwing America is pleased to announce the addition of two field boom inspectors, Steve Leath and Kyle Smith. Growth in boom inspections is the result of more machines in service and the growing awareness of work site safety. Leath and Smith joined the Schwing team and have become fully certified to the newest Schwing inspection and welding criteria, which are so critical to ensure proper procedures for safety and the preservation of equipment value.

Steve Leath is a twenty-plus year veteran of the concrete pumping industry, having inspected and repaired hundreds of booms throughout the past fifteen years; eight of those years were as a former Schwing employee. “We’re grateful to have Steve back on the Schwing team because of his experience and great customer relations,” says Myron Birschbach, Schwing vice president-GM of aftermarket parts and service. He will be based in Nashville, Tennessee, providing quick response to owners in Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

Kyle Smith is based in Dallas, Texas, and will be serving owners throughout Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Kansas, along with existing Schwing inspector Rupert Alanis. “Kyle grew up in the pumping industry and has been inspecting booms for several years. He’s a very talented welder and produces some of the finest repairs seen.”

According to the Concrete Pump Manufacturers Association (CPMA) Safety Standards Section 27-2.1, a boom inspection falls under the “periodic inspections” category, which generally states that a qualified person must conduct a boom inspection at least once a year or more frequently, depending on equipment age or annual hours of operation.

The process consists of both visual and hands-on inspection. “Our inspectors are concerned with every structural component on the pump, from the outriggers to the turret to the boom itself,” according to Birschbach. Hours of operation and actual age of the boom are two factors considered when evaluating boom health. Inspections are performed according to the Schwing standardized boom inspection checklist. Every item on the 100-point checklist is assessed during the comprehensive process.

When the checklist is completed and trouble spots are documented, a Schwing certified welder provides an estimate and completes the repair based on Schwing-approved repair procedures. Modern high strength, lightweight materials used in the manufacture of booms requires critical repair processes and skilled, certified welding technicians.