REMEMBERING YOUR ROOTS

TOFCO

Having gained enough experience and knowledge to move onto the next phase TOFCO have hosted a number of government officials from the nations mentioned above to have a look at the business model utilized because they want to find a way to adopt it. If imitation is indeed the highest form of flattery then this is good news for this nine-year-old industry leader.

“The current level of activity in construction industry can be described as a bit buoyant,” Javed reveals, “As it relates to the Global downturn in the sector. Again, while the competition may be a bit aggressive for the limited available work, TOFCO still maintains its competitive edge due to its experience, safety record and high quality products.”

Focussed on fabrication and construction 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.

Founded on the 17th April 2004, over the last nine years TOFCO have successfully completed major oil and gas fabrication projects for various operators in Trinidad and Tobago as a joint venture of Chet Morrison Contractors LLC., a Houma, LA based and Weldfab Ltd. of Trinidad. The company stems from BP’s drive to do more projects locally. At the time local firms lacked the expertise to perform the sort of projects they wanted and so invited international contractors with the skills in offshore platform work to team up and share their knowledge.

Importantly, while TOFCO maintains ownership ties to its parent companies it functions as an independent company and performs its own projects and procurement having

Established specifically to serve the offshore industry off the coast of the island nation of Trinidad, TOFCO (Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited) is looking to expand internationally. Now in its ninth year of business, they are prospecting to take on new projects in South American and African nations including Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Ghana and Nigeria. We spoke to Operations Manager Javed Mohammed about it.

Endeavour Magazine • March 2013 •

TOFCO

developed solid, reliable relationships with suppliers. As a company, still new in comparison to their competitors, the suppliers feeding into the projects form the foundation on which TOFCO operates and develops,

Since 2004, TOFCO has completed five major offshore platform jacket and deck fabrication projects for BP Trinidad and Tobago (Cannonball, Mango, Cashima, Savonette and Serrette) one for BG Trinidad and Tobago (Poinsettia Deck-The largest built to date in Trinidad) and two for EOG Resources Inc (Oilbird Deck and Jacket, Toucan Deck).

Benefiting greatly from the company’s two Facilities totalling 37-acre, TOFCO has its main Yard 1 a 21-acre waterfront facility and Yard 2 with another 16-acre in La Brea, Trinidad, with the ability to easily ship completed decks and other pieces for customers to assemble offshore. The facility includes a dock with a 30-foot water depth; a 600-foot bulkhead, 2000 p.s.f. ground capacity and is complimented

by its fleet of six crawler heavy lift cranes, five mobile groove cranes and other pieces of equipment. This is subsidized with a twenty four hour delivery schedule.

TOFCO’s recent work includes a number of smaller maintenance and fabrication projects in support of oil and gas customers including procurement, fabricating, blasting, painting, storage, equipment rentals and consulting work to clients.

Engaged in a programme of diversification, TOFCO originally focused on the offshore fabrication, but over the years have branched out on working on brownfield work comprising of offshore turnarounds and support and fabrication services.

An interesting aspect of TOFCO comes from its initiative and approach to treating and training employees. Typical of the region it nurtures its community ties encouraging an approach of “Being your brother’s Keeper.”

TOFCO

The company employs a youthful but skilled workforce of welders, fabricators, riggers and others whom it cross-trains across several disciplines. This youthful presence was a result of their start up story, as in 2004 when they first started they were the “new arrivals” to the area and so the existing workforce was hesitant to join them. In response they took on young employees, under the age of 25 and groomed them to work with them. The majority of TOFCO’s staff are from within a 5 mile radius with a heavy emphasis being placed on local content. This sort of investment has resulted in a strong loyalty from their staff.

Outside of its fabrication facility, TOFCO’s employees Assist residents of La Brea with community development programs to organizations but not limited to schools, a local orphanage and home for the elderly.

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

“2013 will be bringing some opportunities for TOFCO and all its main vendors and contractors. We are anticipating work on deck and jacket fabrication as well as some modularized work. There will be some additional facility upgrades to be undertaken looking at completion 4th quarter 2013.” Javed concludes.

#17 - 19 New Haven's Avenue, Marabella. Trinidad W.I.Phone: (868) 658-0785 / 658-7408 Fax: (868) 658-0787

Email: info@indosafltd.com Website: www.indosafltd.com

Reinforced Abrasive Cutting & Grinding Wheels

GOLDELEPHANT

Industrial Line

in Trinidad and Tobago Engineering Excellence

Plant Services:

Insulation and RefractoryBlasting and CoatingsValve Repairs Welding and Fabrication

Energy Solutions:Renewable Energy ESCOCDM (Clean DevelopmentMechanism) Consultancy

TOSL ENGINEERING LIMITED 8-10 Maharaj Avenue Marabella Trinidad, West Indies Voice: (868)299-0360 Fax: (868) 653-5404Email: sales@tosl.com Web: www.tosl.com

Specialised Services:CompressionGeneration Electrical & Instrumentation Automation Pumping SolutionsPredictive MaintenanceInspection & Testing

Construction Services:Turnarounds

TOSL provides leading technical and quality related services and products to develop, manage, engineer, build, and operate to the requirements of our customers in the areas of Engineering Services, Products and Equipment.

TOFCOwww.tofcott.com001 868 651 0006

Written by Don Campbell

www.littlegatepublishing.com