Serving the oil and gas industries, Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited has created a reputation as solid as its construction projects. We spoke with Glen Earles, General Manager, to find out how the company has laid such solid foundations.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

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The collaboration came about as a result of a tangible need for specifically focused construction and fabrication services, as Glen Earles explains,

“We were established specifically to serve the offshore industry, off the coast of the island nation of Trinidad. The Company focuses on the fabrication and construction of greenfield projects on offshore platforms and other facilities serving the oil and gas industries. TOFCO has taken aim and is heading towards a target of being the best in the region with a worldwide reputation for the highest safety standards and quality of work.”

Ambitious from the outset, TOFCO placed itself firmly in the forefront of its industry and has not slowed down,

“The company has grown immensely, thanks to having an experienced and skilled workforce ready for the execution of brownfield offshore maintenance work over the last three years and continues to maintain a high standard of HSSE, Quality and Schedule Adherence. The company is also in the process of constructing a world-class fabrication shop with an attached warehouse storage space. This will allow TOFCO to be more competitive with future bids as piping and small deck extensions can now be fabricated within a covered facility, with improved productivity and schedule certainty.”

Earles is clearly excited by the success already attained by the company and motivated for the future, but he reassures us that

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TOFCO

Founded in 2003, Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited (TOFCO) is the product of a joint venture between Chet Morrison Contractors Inc., an LA based organisation and Weldfab Ltd, located in Trinidad.

there are no current plans to move away from the specific talents and specialisms of TOFCO, stating that,

“At the moment TOFCO is not venturing outside of our core business of structural fabrication and construction, but has added electrical and instrumentation capabilities.”

It’s a steady and controlled hand that can resist the urge to steer a company towards unknown waters in pursuit of possible profit and Earles has such a grip. Determined to remain true to the ethos and aims of TOFCO, he remains steadfast in the pursuit of the highest industry standards and excellence, within a small arena of specialist fabrication and construction services.

Speaking about the current day-to-day activities of the company, Earles is animated in his pride,

“TOFCO’s recent work includes the fabrication of a new platform, the largest offshore platform to be built in the Caribbean and continues with a number of smaller brownfield maintenance and fabrication projects in support of oil and gas customers including procurement, fabricating, blasting and painting, storage, equipment rentals and consulting work to clients. “

An impressive portfolio of work, Earles continued to reveal more,

“We are engaged in a programme of diversification as TOFCO

originally focussed totally on the offshore fabrication and construction business. In the later part of 2014, the company started providing the services of electrical and instrumentation installation and testing for brownfield projects and we have plans to grow in this discipline. Agility has allowed the company to fabricate and process whatever is applicable to our model.”

In an industry as quality driven as fabrication and construction, it can be difficult for organisations to effectively set themselves apart, but TOFCO likes to think outside of the box, even if it is a fantastically composed box of their own making, so we asked Earles to divulge what makes the company different from its competitors.

“TOFCO’s proven historical performance has certainly allowed the company to be the best at what we do; construction of offshore platforms in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. The company has always delivered a quality product and been able to stand up to any challenge and the direct waterfront property has eliminated any other competitor from attempting to undertake any work of a similar magnitude.

Outside of its fabrication facility, TOFCO’s employees assist residents of the La Brea community with development programs within organisations such as schools, a local orphanage and home for the elderly. This theme of corporate altruism is common in this

TOFCO

region where the businesses have grown up in the community and have never lost their roots and it is a refreshing business model that is proving to be highly efficient in growing not only the businesses through an influx of loyal employees and staff, but also from the levels of education and training available to these employees prior to joining the workforce.”

Take a second to really let tat sink in. TOFCO is taking Corporate Social Responsibility to breathtaking new heights and not out of an enforced sense of duty, but because it actually wants to support communities at a grassroots level and staff members are delighted to assist. How are these altruistic employees supported by TOFCO and is the industry buoyant enough to guarantee their continued income?

“TOFCO is always in full support of personal development for our employees and always gives opportunities for promotions, from within, whenever they arise. The company is always thriving for improved efficiency, so employees are trained to the following standards: AWS D1.1, ASME IX, API 1104, NACE/SSPC LEVEL 2, Certified Welding Inspector CWI, Mechanical Engineering, Project Manager Professional PMP, NEBOSH HSSE, OPITO Rigging, Association of Certified Chartered Accountants ACCA,

Construction Industrial Training Board CITB-UK and OHSAS 18001 Scaffolding, All training and certification is provided by regulated external bodies, to retain the highest standards of knowledge and expertise.”

“Due to the current state of the world economy and falling oil prices, the industry is once again becoming challenging, with most companies re-evaluating planned projects for the rest of 2015 and even implementing cut backs of key resources. With a new project on-going, this will not create as much of an impact for us, however the company’s forecasting of projected brownfield work becomes affected as marketing strategies will need to be redirected.”

Naturally, TOFCO has a strict customer service charter in place, using regular interaction and feedback to shape future directives and initiatives. As with any industry, the importance of maintaining a professional and honest relationship with clients is considered to be crucial to the continued success of the company, which will facilitate the new developments planned for 2015.

“We have plans in progress for this year including the erection of a world-class fabrication shop with two 15t overhead cranes and warehouse storage space, fabrication of the largest offshore platform to be constructed in the Caribbean, installation of a new

TOFCO

welder training lab to train and test 17 welders as opposed to previously training and testing four at a time. We are also looking to concentrate on internal opportunities for personnel advancement, in line with new projects, as well as the provision of electrical and installation services.”

Having taken time to plan these new initiatives, necessary infrastructure upgrades have also been accounted for, once again demonstrating the commitment to quality and continued improvement that has placed TOFCO in a much coveted position within its industry.

Thanks to a team of engaged and forward thinking employees, TOFCO is clearly an organisation that will be able to not only weather any storm, but build a fully weather proof bunker, offshore, while never negating their responsibilities to the surrounding community. Impressive stuff indeed.

“TOFCO’s recent work includes the fabrication of a new platform, the largest offshore platform to be built in the Caribbean and continues with a number of smaller brownfield maintenance and fabrication projects in support of oil and gas customers including procurement, fabricating, blasting and painting, storage, equipment rentals and consulting work to clients. “