12/24/2025
‘Twas the night before shutdown, and all through the mill,
Not a fan blade was turning, the conveyors were still.
The ductwork was hung by the baghouse with care,
In hopes that ProcessBarron would soon be there.
The operators nestled all snug in PPE,
While visions of upgrades danced in their minds with glee.
And the operator in a hard hat, with a tablet in hand,
Had just settled down to review the demand.
When out by the stack, there arose such a clatter,
Planners sprang from the control room to see what was the matter.
Away through the boiler house they flew like a flash,
Tore open the access doors and checked for the ash.
The moon on the crest of the freshly cleaned grate,
Gave a luster of safety to the work we create.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a ProcessBarron crew with their tools and their gear!
With a seasoned leader, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment this wasn’t a trick.
More rapid than blowers, their techs came,
And they whistled and shouted, calling machinery by name:
“Now feeders! Now fans! Now screw conveyors too!
On dampers! On ductwork! On rotary valves, new!
To the top of the stack! To the bottom of the chute!
Let’s balance that airflow and optimize throughput!”
As fly ash before the big draft fans fly,
When met with an upgrade, in the inclines, they lie.
So up through the floors, the specialists flew,
With skids full of parts, and engineers, too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the floor,
The humming of welding and grinders that roar.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down came the Super with specs that astound.
He was dressed in PPE, from his head to his boots,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ash and soot.
A bundle of blueprints thrown over his back,
And he looked like a pro just opening his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkled! His knowledge, so vast!
His plans were all perfect, and his timing was fast.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And balanced the system with nary a quirk.
Then, laying his tools aside with a grin,
He gave me a nod as the fans kicked in.
And I heard him exclaim as they drove out of sight:
“Happy shutdown to all, and to all a good night!
