A notch above others. High productivity. Flexible and adaptable. Excellent people. Exceptionally low weld-rejection rate. High-quality supervision. Their reputation precedes them. When they pull up on the job, everyone knows it is go time.
“The Turnaround Welding Services ‘bulldogs’ have become a breed of their own. When our contractor competitors see our tool trailer with the bulldog logo on the side, it means we are coming in to handle business,” said Alex Castillo, area and senior project manager.
Turnaround Welding Services (TWS) has maintained the same leadership team since its inception in 1999, while the remainder of the bulldogs have been carefully selected over the years. TWS’ executives keep the team strong by finding employees through an internal referral network. Once they make it through the testing processes, undergo safety training programs and exemplify their unmatched skillsets, they then become part of an esteemed squad of “bulldogs.” Further, all foremen and supervisors rise through the ranks, starting in the field and learning their direction firsthand.
The management team regards the Turnaround Welding Services’ bulldogs as the highly qualified and experienced craftsmen who make the company what it is today: one of the leading welding services companies in the country, with offerings including pipe welding and fabrication; heater, boiler and reformer repairs and revamps; converter repairs and revamps; 24-hour emergency response; shop fabrication; and vessel, tower and exchanger work.
Taking on projects others turn away
These world-class welders do more than just weld. They rig, fit and deliver safer, more cost-efficient projects that require anywhere from 10 to 2 million man-hours. With many years of experience and a desire to tackle challenges, TWS’ highly experienced workforce enjoys taking on projects others turn away.
Recent back-to-back projects spanned two years at one petrochemical facility. The work was part of TWS’ ongoing relationship with the company. The bulldogs installed 58,000 feet of pipe and completed a total of 6,800 severe cycle welds with a repair rate of less than 1 percent. The projects were completed on schedule with zero safety incidents.
There are much more examples of TWS’ safe, quality-driven and productive projects that consistently exceed industry standards.
Four different projects on a recent turnaround kept the TWS team busy at a large refinery. The bulldogs completed more than 1,800 welds on alloy piping with zero repairs. They also demolished and installed over 6,000 feet of pipe. All work was completed on time, on budget and with zero safety incidents.
This type of performance by TWS saves clients time and money because it is done right the first time with no unnecessary do-overs or repairs. The bulldogs’ skill and professionalism were on display on another recent project that exemplifies how well the TWS team works together — no matter how many craftsmen it takes to get the job done.
A 10-man crew started the project, making critical welds involving chrome, exotic and high alloy. After five months, the requests for additional craftsmen began to build quickly. Before long, the team was working on entire units and whole systems rather than just the portions they began on. In the end, more than 1,100 bulldogs, including 100 foremen and 16 superintendents, were working on the new construction expansion project. The results? Just under 1.6 million weld pass linear inches with a weld rejection rate of 0.35 percent — and no OSHA recordables or lost-time accidents in the nearly 1.9 million man-hours worked.
“TWS’ success on large-scale projects like this and many others is based on daily communication, delegating priorities as they come up and executing them efficiently,” explained Castillo, who has been with TWS for 12 years. “TWS has pride in who we are and what we can do. This makes our team work well together even during obstacles.
“One of our ‘secret ingredients’ is the family atmosphere we have become by working together for so long. There is always a feeling of pride and accomplishment when another project is completed safely and on time.”
TWS Project Manager Jose Osegueda, who has been on the team for 14 years, agrees.
“Communication, respect and integrity are part of our culture,” he explained. “Our leadership stays on top of every job, from planning to the execution of each project no matter how big or small it may be.”
In a word? ‘Exceptional’
A project manager at a petrochemical facility worked with TWS recently on a yearlong project and commended the company’s performance.
“TWS is known for their high productivity and low welding rejection rates,” he said. “This project had a large turnaround component that fit TWS’ capability well, and their relationship with other contractors provided additional resources for the project team.”
The bulldogs installed all piping, involving both alloy and carbon steel, with over 400 piping tie-ins.
“During the outage, work was taken away from other contractors and given to TWS based on their performance,” he explained. “They offer excellent people with high-quality supervision. TWS’ superintendent was excellent. He did not allow unimportant side issues to detract him from reaching his goal. He kept things moving in the most efficient manner. And TWS’ employees were a notch above others.”
Large projects are not without their challenges and scope changes, and this one was no exception.
“TWS worked through changes well,” the project manager said. “There were several construction changes caused by late deliveries and changes to the decommissioning plan. TWS initially challenged these changes, but when there was no other alternative, they adjusted their plans and worked through the changes efficiently. They provided the right amount of challenge to changes while still being flexible and adaptable.”
The results were, in a word, “exceptional.” “TWS’ weld-rejection rate was exceptionally low, and their safety performance was exceptional with no lost time or recordable incidents,” the project manager said. “TWS is an excellent provider of piping during projects and turnarounds. I would definitely use them again.”
One team, one goal, one result: Winning
“The top-line supervision and skilled workers we bring to each job allow us to stay on top of our game,” Osegueda said. “We hire high-skills personnel and, as supervisors, we utilize each person where they excel the most. We are one team, one goal, and one result, and that is why we always win!”
Please visit TWS at the AFPM 2017 Reliability & Maintenance Conference and Exhibition May 23-26, booth no. 625.
For more information, visit www. Turnaroundweldingservices.com or call (225) 686-7101.
The Turnaround Welding Services ‘bulldogs’ have become a breed of their own.