How VASEY executed a complex helicopter-assisted HVAC replacement for Indiana Automotive Fasteners.
The Client Profile
Indiana Automotive Fasteners is a Greenfield, Indiana manufacturer serving the automotive industry. Its facility brings key fastener-production processes under one roof, including cold forming, thread rolling and tapping, heat treatment, surface treatment, plastic injection molding and in-house testing. That combination makes IAF a substantial manufacturing operation with facility systems supporting multiple production processes.
The Challenge
Indiana Automotive Fasteners needed nine rooftop HVAC units removed and replaced at its manufacturing facility. Several of the units weighed approximately 6,000 pounds, making the work far more complex than a standard rooftop replacement. The size of the equipment, the roof location and the need to complete the work within a concentrated weekend window required careful sequencing from the first lift through final testing.
Because the project took place during the heat of summer, the work also demanded the right manpower. VASEY needed enough experienced people on site to manage the helicopter operation, rooftop activity, ground support, reconnections and system checks without losing momentum between steps.
The VASEY Approach
VASEY assembled a 16-person team and organized the work across the roof and ground. Before each move, the crew coordinated rigging, established clear work zones and prepared the next unit so the helicopter and field teams could operate as one sequence. The objective was not simply to move heavy equipment. It was to control every handoff—removing the existing units, positioning the replacements and transitioning immediately into the mechanical and electrical work required to return the systems to service.
Weekend Execution
Across Saturday and Sunday, VASEY removed the existing rooftop units, guided nine replacement units into position and completed the work needed after the aircraft left the site. Crews reconnected the equipment, checked the installations and tested the systems. Every phase depended on timing, communication and disciplined coordination among the people on the roof, the people on the ground and the helicopter operator.
The Result
All nine units were lifted and placed, including loads approaching 6,000 pounds. The replacement work progressed through reconnection and testing during the same coordinated weekend effort. For IAF, the project provided a complete field solution—not simply an equipment lift. For VASEY, it demonstrated the depth of team, planning and commercial HVAC experience required to execute an uncommon project safely and efficiently.
Special Recognition
Special recognition goes to VASEY Project Manager Sam Anderson for his leadership and coordination throughout this complex undertaking. His attention to detail, communication, and commitment to keeping the many moving parts aligned played an essential role in its success. His efforts, together with those of the entire 16-person team, helped ensure a successful outcome.
When a commercial HVAC project calls for careful planning, experienced field leadership and the manpower to execute, VASEY is ready to help. Contact us today to learn more.