Steel Mill Millwright & Roll Change Servicesin Burns Harbor, Indiana
Quick overview
SSI serves Burns Harbor from our Portage shop, about 6 miles and 10 minutes away. Our crews handle roll changes, millwright work, hydraulic troubleshooting, fabrication, on-site welding and fan balancing for the integrated steel operations and port-side industry along the lakefront. Call (219) 386-1506 any time.
Burns Harbor at a glance
- Approx. drive from Portage
- ~10 min
- Approx. road miles
- 6 mi
- Prequalified contractor
- ISN & Avetta
Calls we get
What we're called for in Burns Harbor
Roll change window
A Burns Harbor mill calls when a roll change needs extra hands for chock handling, inspection and reassembly inside a fixed outage window.
Roll ChangesRusted-out port structures
A port-side tenant calls when lake weather has eaten through a platform, chute or conveyor support. We fabricate the replacement in Portage and set it on site.
Custom Metal FabricationHopper scale reading off
A bulk handler calls when a hopper or truck scale starts drifting and loads stop matching. We inspect the load cells, mounts and structure and fix what is causing it.
Scales & Load Cells
From the Portage shop
How we get to Burns Harbor
The route
A short run east from Portage on US-12/US-20, or I-94 to SR-149, roughly 6 miles and about 10 minutes before gate and badging time.
The local industrial base
Burns Harbor is a small town with a large lakefront industrial footprint. An integrated steel mill covers much of the shoreline, and the neighboring port handles steel, bulk materials and project cargo for processors and industrial tenants. Roll stands, hydraulic systems, cranes, conveyors and fans fill the equipment list.
Breakdown in Burns Harbor? (219) 386-1506 is answered 24/7.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
About 10 minutes
Roughly 6 miles from our Portage shop.
Hydraulics
Cylinders, power units and valves.
Prequalified
ISNetworld member and Avetta prequalified.
24/7 line
(219) 386-1506 for breakdowns.
What we do here
Services in Burns Harbor
Roll Changes
Rolling mill and paper machine roll changes, planned or urgent.
Millwright Services
Rigging, setting, alignment, installs and outage work.
Hydraulic Troubleshooting & Repair
Pumps, valves, cylinders, hoses, leaks and contamination.
Custom Metal Fabrication
Structural, pipe and replacement parts. Shop and field.
On-Site & Specialty Welding
Mobile welding rigs at your plant, 24/7 for emergencies.
Scales & Load Cells
Load cell install, troubleshooting and replacement.
Fan Rebuilds & Balancing
Fans balanced in place or in the shop, rebuilt and aligned.
24/7 Emergency Repair
Line down? Call (219) 386-1506, day or night.
Industries near Burns Harbor
Nearby service areas
Have a job in Burns Harbor?
Send the equipment, the plant address and what you're seeing. A crew lead calls back with timing and next steps.
What does SSI support in Burns Harbor?
SSI supports the Burns Harbor mill and the port-side operations next to it with roll changes, hydraulic work, fabrication, on-site welding and fan balancing. Burns Harbor is our closest major industrial neighbor, about 10 minutes from the Portage shop. For outage work, that distance makes our shop feel like part of your maintenance building.
A cylinder, shaft or gearbox can leave the mill in the morning and be on our bench before lunch. During an outage, the crew runs parts and tools back and forth without losing half a shift to travel.
How do we staff a roll change outage?
We staff a roll change by planning it with your maintenance team before the outage starts. Together we set the crew size, the sequence, the lifts and what gets inspected while the chocks are out. The crew shows up knowing the plan, so the window goes to changing rolls instead of sorting out who does what.
What we cover on a typical change:
- pulling and setting work and backup rolls;
- chock handling, cleaning and inspection;
- spindle, coupling and bearing checks while access is open;
- repairs found during the change, in the field or in our shop.
See roll changes and millwright services.
What does lake weather do to port equipment?
Lake weather corrodes port equipment from the outside in. Wind, spray, freeze-thaw and road salt work on platforms, chutes, conveyor supports, crane rails and handrails year-round. Steel thins until a walkway or support stops being safe. Most of the repair is cutting out the bad steel and fabricating or welding in new.
| Port equipment | Common problem | SSI work |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms and walkways | Thinned grating, rusted supports | Fabrication and replacement |
| Chutes and hoppers | Wear-through, cracked seams | On-site welding and liners |
| Truck and hopper scales | Drifting readings | Scales and load cells |
| Cylinders and power units | Leaks, slow motion | Hydraulic troubleshooting |
How do we keep Burns Harbor mill work safe?
Every job starts with a job hazard analysis (JHA). Our crews follow lockout/tagout, confined space, hot work and fall protection programs, plus your site’s own rules and permits. We carry ISNetworld and Avetta prequalification, which most mill contractor programs require. See our safety page and steel industry page.
Line down? Call (219) 386-1506 or go to emergency service. Our emergency repair crews are 10 minutes away. Neighbors in Portage and Chesterton are covered from the same shop. No shortcuts, no excuses.
Local questions
Burns Harbor FAQs
How fast can a crew get to Burns Harbor from Portage?
Burns Harbor is roughly 6 miles from our shop, about 10 minutes in normal traffic. Inside a large mill, gate, badging and travel to the work area add time. Call (219) 386-1506 and we will tell you honestly when a crew can be at your equipment for the job you have.
Do you support roll changes during mill outages?
Yes. We provide millwright crews for roll changes on work and backup rolls, chock handling, and the inspection and repair work that goes with them. We plan the crew size and sequence with your maintenance team ahead of the outage so the change fits your window.
Can you repair large hydraulic cylinders from a mill?
Yes. We troubleshoot hydraulic systems on site and repair cylinders, rods and glands in our Portage shop, about 10 minutes from Burns Harbor. Short trips between the mill and the shop help keep a cylinder repair from turning into a long outage.
Do you work at the port as well as the mill?
Yes. We serve the steel processors, bulk handlers and industrial tenants along the Burns Harbor lakefront, as well as the mill. Conveyor drives, cranes, scales and fabricated structures at port-side sites need the same millwright and welding skills. Port equipment sits outdoors in lake weather, so corrosion repair is common.
Request service in Burns Harbor
Tell us what's running rough. We'll tell you how fast we can be there.