Industrial Millwright Servicesin Northwest Indiana & Chicagoland
Quick overview
Millwright services cover the installation, alignment, repair and moving of industrial machinery. SSI is a millwright contractor in Portage, Indiana. Our crews rig, set, level and laser align equipment, work outages and turnarounds, change rolls and install conveyors for plants across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, 24/7.
What do our millwright crews do?
| Work | What we do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Rigging and moving | Lift plans, rigging, skidding and setting of heavy equipment | Equipment moved and set without damage or injury |
| Setting and leveling | Set baseplates and soleplates, level, shim and grout prep | A solid, flat base that holds alignment |
| Alignment | Laser shaft alignment, belt and sheave alignment | Less vibration and longer bearing and seal life |
| Installation | New and relocated equipment installation, start-up support | Machines installed to spec and ready to run |
| Outages and turnarounds | Planned shutdown work, crews scheduled to your outage plan | Work done inside the outage window |
| Roll changes and conveyors | Roll removal and installation, conveyor installs and rebuilds | Lines back in production on schedule |
- Certified millwright servicesField crews with rigging and alignment gear.
- Safety firstJHA, lockout/tagout and permits on every job.
- 24/7 crewsCall (219) 386-1506 any time.
How does a millwright job work?
Step 1: Scope
Walk the job with your team. Confirm the equipment, access, schedule and outage window.
Step 2: Plan
Write the JHA and lift plan, line up permits, and stage tools, rigging and parts.
Step 3: Rig and set
Move the equipment into place, set it on its base and level it.
Step 4: Align
Laser align shafts and drives to OEM spec or your plant standard.
Step 5: Start up
Support start-up and check for vibration, heat and leaks.
Step 6: Close out
Clean up, walk it down with you and hand over the records.
When to call a millwright
When do you need a millwright contractor?
Most plants call us for one of these.
- A planned outage or turnaround needs extra hands
- New equipment arriving that needs setting and aligning
- A machine or line moving to a new spot or plant
- Vibration or repeat failures on rotating equipment
- Roll changes or conveyor work on a schedule
- A breakdown that needs a crew now
What are millwright services?
Millwright services are the skilled trade work of installing, setting, aligning, maintaining and moving industrial machinery. SSI is a millwright contractor based in Portage, Indiana. Our field crews rig and set equipment, level bases, laser align drives, work outages and turnarounds, change rolls and install conveyors.
Millwrights sit between the rigging crew, the mechanic and the machinist. We move a machine into place, set it on a solid base, line it up within tolerance and get it running. When something wears out, we rebuild it. That range is why plants along the lakefront and across the Region call a millwright first.
What does an SSI millwright crew handle?
Our crews handle the full life of a machine on your floor: rigging it in, setting and leveling it, aligning it, keeping it running and moving it when the plant changes. One crew and one contractor carry the job from the truck to start-up.
| Work | What it covers | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Rigging and setting | Lift plans, rigging, skidding, setting on base | Equipment installation |
| Leveling and alignment | Baseplates, shims, laser shaft alignment | Laser alignment |
| Installation and start-up | New, rebuilt and relocated equipment | Equipment installation |
| Outages and turnarounds | Planned shutdown work on your schedule | Preventive maintenance |
| Roll changes | Roll removal and installation | Roll changes |
| Conveyor work | Installs, rebuilds and drive alignment | Conveyor systems |
| Moves and relocations | Disconnect, move, reset and align | Plant relocation |
How do you plan millwright work for an outage or turnaround?
We plan outage work before the outage. We walk the job with your maintenance and safety teams, confirm the scope and access, and write the job hazard analysis (JHA) and lift plans. Tools, rigging and parts get staged ahead of time so the crew starts working the day the line comes down.
During the outage, our crew lead reports progress against the plan and flags problems as soon as they show up. If a rebuilt part is needed, our machine shop in Portage makes it while the field work moves forward. No shortcuts, no excuses.
Why does setting and alignment matter so much?
A machine is only as good as the base it sits on and the line it runs on. A soft foot, a twisted baseplate or a shaft out of line puts load into bearings, seals and couplings on every turn. Many early failures on new installs trace back to setting and alignment.
On every install and reset, our crews:
- check the foundation and baseplate for flatness and level;
- correct soft foot before alignment;
- check for pipe strain on pumps and process equipment;
- laser align to OEM spec or your plant standard;
- record final readings for your files.
How do we keep millwright work safe?
Safety is how the work gets done. SSI is an ISNetworld member contractor and Avetta prequalified. Every job starts with a JHA and lockout/tagout, and our crews work under your plant’s confined space, hot work and fall protection permits. Read more on our safety page.
Learn more about what a millwright does at a steel mill, or see how we work in steel and refractory plants. We send crews across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, including Joliet, Kankakee and the Plymouth, Indiana area. When a machine is down, call (219) 386-1506, 24/7.
Millwright Services across the Region
Tell us about the equipment
Send the make, model and what you're seeing. A crew lead will call you back with next steps.
Start a requestCertified & prequalified
ISNetworld
member contractor
Avetta
prequalified
AWS certified
welders
Millwright Services FAQs
What does an industrial millwright do?
An industrial millwright installs, aligns, maintains, repairs and moves industrial machinery. That includes rigging and setting equipment, leveling and grouting bases, laser aligning shafts, rebuilding rotating equipment, changing rolls and installing conveyors. Millwrights are the trade plants call when heavy machinery has to be set right and kept running.
What is the difference between a millwright and a mechanic?
Both keep machines running, but a millwright focuses on installing, setting, aligning and moving heavy industrial machinery, often with rigging and precision measuring. Plant mechanics usually handle day-to-day repair of equipment already in place. Our crews do both kinds of work, plus fabrication and welding.
Do you provide millwright crews for outages and turnarounds?
Yes. Outage and turnaround work is a big part of what we do. We walk the scope with you ahead of time, plan the crew, rigging and parts, and schedule the work to fit your outage window. Tell us the date and the scope and we will build the plan with you.
Can you set and align new equipment?
Yes. Our crews rig and set new equipment, level and shim it on its base, prepare for grout, and laser align it to OEM tolerance or your plant standard. We support start-up and leave you alignment records. We also handle installation of relocated and rebuilt equipment.
Do you do roll changes?
Yes. We remove and install rolls for steel and manufacturing facilities. Roll changes are planned work with heavy rigging and tight schedules, so we plan the sequence, rigging and safety steps with your team before the line comes down. That keeps the change inside the window you scheduled.
Are your millwright crews prequalified for plant work?
Yes. South Shore Industrial is an ISNetworld member contractor and is Avetta prequalified. Our crews have OSHA safety training, and every job starts with a job hazard analysis (JHA) and lockout/tagout. We also follow your plant's confined space, hot work and fall protection permits.
Do you offer 24/7 emergency millwright service?
Yes. Call (219) 386-1506 any time, day or night. Tell us what is down and what has been checked, and we will tell you how fast a crew can get there. Our crews bring rigging, alignment and welding gear, and our machine shop can make parts that are not on the shelf.
What areas do your millwright crews cover?
Our shop is in Portage, Indiana. We send millwright crews across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, including Gary, Hammond, Valparaiso and Chicago, plus Joliet and Kankakee in Illinois and the Plymouth, Indiana area. We also support customers in Arkansas. Call to talk through travel for work outside the Region.
Request a millwright services quote
Tell us what's running rough. We'll tell you how fast we can be there.