Midwest Steel conducted the “topping out ceremony” at the Wichita-Mid Continent Airport Terminal on June 10 2013. This ceremony is a tradition in the structural steel industry that serves as a milestone that steel work on a project is complete.
Local ironworkers were employed on this important project. As part of the traditional building rites, each of them signed the final beam signifying their participation in the work. The beam was adorned with the American flag as well as banners for the local ironworkers and Midwest Steel.
The special guest at the ceremony was Carl Brewer, Mayor of Wichita, who was accompanied by dignitaries from the city, Wichita Airport Authority, AECOM, project managers as well as senior management and staff of Midwest Steel. As the assembled attendees and construction workers looked on, the final beam was ceremoniously hoisted into position accompanied by cheers and applause as it was connected by the ironworkers.
The design of the new terminal includes a undulating roof that is meant to evoke an image of a wing in flight. The internal layout of the terminal is designed to be easier for passengers to navigate, improving the flow of people to and from their gates as well as offering the space required for current security requirements.
The new Wichita-Mid Continent Airport Terminal is a $160 million dollar construction project that is being built by Key-Walbridge Joint Venture, with Midwest Steel as a sub-contractor responsible for the structural steel.
Tom Broad, Executive Vice President, Midwest Steel stated that “The design of this project demonstrates the state of the art in building design and engineering. The high precision structural steel work that is required to realize the design could only be accomplished by a world class structural steel contractor. All of us at Midwest Steel are pleased and honored to have been part of this project”.
Midwest Steel is a union contractor headquartered in Detroit Michigan with offices across North America. It has established itself as the leader of the structural steel industry through its innovative pre-construction design services, delivery of world class quality while maintaining an unmatched job site safety record.