Buckingham Heavy Transport DBD talks company’s rich history in structural moving

Buckingham Heavy Transport has deep roots in the structural lifting and moving industry. A spin-off of the legendary Wolfe House Movers, (which was started more than 50 years ago), Buckingham Heavy Transport was a natural offshoot of its parent company, which has made global headlines for its expertise moving historic structures in the Central Pennsylvania region.

Rick Maloyed, Director of Business Development, Buckingham Heavy Transport

“Decades of lifting and moving large structures without engineered lift points prepared the current company to easily transition into the world of specialized transport and heavy haul,” said Rick Maloyed, director of business development for Buckingham Heavy Transport. “Wolfe House Movers is one of the leading structural movers in the world and is called on to move many of our nation’s historic masonry buildings – some weighing millions of pounds.”

In 2007, the Buckingham family started Buckingham Structural Moving Equipment, (BSME), to design and manufacture structural moving equipment.

“At that time, rigging and equipment manufacturers were not interested in ideas for changes to their equipment,” said Maloyed. “BSME is now the leading manufacturer in the industry, having brought many leaps in technology to the field over the last 16 years.”

Forging ahead

Around 2015, Wolfe House Movers started actively working in the heavy haul industry, using their adaptive Buckingham Power Dolly System and acquiring a fleet of specialized rigging, lifting and hauling equipment. Within a few years, the company transitioned to working under the Buckingham Heavy Transport name, growing its roots in the heavy transport realm.

With more than 12 years working in the industry, Maloyed has served as a project manager, salesman and now as business development director.

Much of the rigging and lifting equipment Buckingham Heavy Transport uses is manufactured by sister company BSME.

BSME sells its equipment globally.

“Several Buckingham Dual-Lane Dolly Transporters, the Buckingham Unified Hydraulic Jacking System and the Buckingham Hydraulic Slide System are everyday tools for our crews,” Maloyed said. “Specialized hauling trailers acquired from outside the company include Goldhofer, Faymonville, Trail King, TransMaster, Fontaine, Dorsey and XL Specialized. We have also recently added a 500-ton Lift Systems gantry system and an Oshkosh prime mover to our fleet. We have a variety of self-propelled trailer options, and when the loads need to be pulled, they are led primarily by our fleet of Kenworth trucks, including the T-800, T-880, W990 and W900L, some with auxiliary transmissions. We also have one Peterbilt 389 tri-axle. This equipment is used daily by our crews and rented out to the industry at large.”

Through the years, American Cranes & Transport has covered many of the historic moves performed by Wolfe House Movers, using equipment made by Buckingham Structural Moving Equipment. More recently, Buckingham Heavy Transport started making newsworthy heavy hauls.

Our Q&A with Maloyed reveals how a structural moving company saw an opportunity in the market and expanded its fleet and services to include machinery moving and heavy hauling.

What regions of North America do you generally serve?

Buckingham operates in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions from our headquarters in Bernville, PA and covers the Midwest region from our satellite operation in North Manchester, IN. Projects outside of these regions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

What distinguishes Buckingham in the markets it serves?

From ownership to management to crew members, our family-owned small business is large enough to handle most projects, yet small enough that we all have access to each other for quick communication and accountability. We equip our crews with the necessary training, state-of-the-art equipment and a positive environment that enhances our quality of life and our quality of work.

We believe that the strength of a company is partially in solid relationships both within and outside of our own company. Based on this belief, we have fostered many relationships around the country with brokers, riggers, haulers, third-party vendors and manufacturers. These connections are key to the in-depth solutions we can bring to your project. Buckingham gives attention to detail, has well-maintained equipment and an excellent track record of on-time performance.

Buckingham Heavy Transport is a family-owned small business that is “large enough to handle most projects, yet small enough to have access to each other for quick communication and accountability.”

Buckingham has performed some pretty complicated jobs. do you handle run-of-the-mill projects as well?

The equipment that we’ve purchased has all been geared toward making sure we can handle the large, heavy and interesting projects. But we do handle the smaller, more run-of-the-mill projects.

How was the market for your services in 2023, and how do you envision 2024 playing out?

2023 seemed to have plenty of work, and we do see it rolling over into 2024, although there does seem to be the feeling of some restriction coming.

What types of equipment does Buckingham Structural Moving Equipment produce?

We have built heavy lift/move equipment for over a decade and have often designed and manufactured custom brackets and jacks as well as upgraded and improved on existing technology such as the Buckingham Slide System and the Buckingham SmartJack System.

What types of jobs are trending?

There are always generators, reactors and transformers for replacements, plus new wind and solar projects. And also, heavy equipment moving.

How does Buckingham address workforce development?

We are always in the market for team members who are excited about the industry and bring new ideas and energy to our company. We offer competitive compensation packages, home time for employees, a conscious effort to create a healthy work environment where every employee feels that his contribution is appreciated, assisting employees with obtaining further training such as hoisting engineer licenses and CDL licenses.

Of all the equipment in your fleet, what comes to mind as the most universal?

The SPMT and the Hydraulic Jacking System would probably be the most universal equipment to what we do.

What is your business philosophy?

It is our intention at Buckingham to bring efficiency and integrity to each of our client’s projects to bring the highest confidence and satisfaction to the client. We believe that proper communication with the client, thorough planning by management, and a safe work environment for the crew are key to bringing this outcome. Our primary goal is unsparing commitment to quality workmanship, quality performance and fair pricing for quality work.