Activities included: Men’s Health Toolbox Talks, Cancer awareness / healthy lifestyle workshop and Mental Health First Aid Training and Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) screening over a period of twelve months. Other health and mental wellbeing information was communicated through newsletters and notice boards dedicated to the scheme at offices and project sites. 

Fabricom GDF Suez Employees at the Teesside office presentation of the NHS Better Health at Work Award

Craig Welford, Fabricom GDF Suez North East Business Operations Director said “As a business that operates in the oil, gas, power and process sectors, we have always had stringent health, safety and environment policies to protect our employees due to the risks associated with the environment that we operate in, but when we were introduced to Richie Andrew of Health Improvement Service, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we realised that we were doing everything possible to protect our employees in the workplace but we were not really addressing the health and general wellbeing of our employees in a structured way.’ 

“Participating in the Better Health at Work Award has helped us to structure our approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace and although it has been challenging, it has proven to be a really worthwhile experience. The response from our employees to the campaigns and activities that we ran has been fantastic, everyone got involved and I think that we are all now better informed about our own health and what we need to do to maintain good health.” 

Fabricom GDF Suez is continuing to build on the success of the bronze award and have already signed up to work towards the silver level of the scheme with the support of the How Healthy is Your Business Team. 

Richie Andrew, Health Improvement Specialist said “Fabricom have started the journey on the Better Health at Work Award with great efforts during 2011, raising awareness of a variety of health topics in response to  their employees requests in their health needs assessment. They have also invested into the programme, realising that the return on investment is worthy of the initial outlay. We look forward to supporting Fabricom through the Silver award in 2012.”

Plaxica is a technology and licensing company focused on the production of next generation biopolymers and platform chemicals from renewable resources such as sugarcane, cereals and cellulose.  

The proposed demonstration plant will use energy efficient processes to produce second generation high performance polylactic acid (PLA) based materials.  Nearly all existing polymers – including the high volume materials PET, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene and PVC – are derived from petrochemical feedstocks. Plaxica’s PLA polymers are expected to match or exceed the properties and application of these petrochemical based polymers while offering a lower environmental footprint compared to conventional oil-based plastics and fibres.  

The plastics market is worth over $400 billion a year, with biopolymers accounting for over $2 billion of that market. The demand for renewable processes and recyclable products is increasing, growing on average over 10% per annum. 

The facility designed by GSA will enable Plaxica to gain important data on the performance of the technology before scaling up the process for full scale operation.  

Mike Smith, Operations Director at GSA said; “GSA is delighted to have been awarded such a unique and prestigious project. The growth of second generation biotechnology processes in the UK has been significant in recent years and we are delighted to be associated with such an innovative project.” 

Mark Sutton, Chief Operating Officer for Plaxica went onto say: “We are excited to be working with GSA in their capacity as the front end engineering partner for our biopolymer project.  The award of this contract marks an important step for Plaxica as we move our technology through demonstration to commercial implementation and licensing.”

Each year Fabricom awards one of their Apprentice Technicians with the much coveted title of ‘Apprentice Technician of the Year’. This year, the competition has been as tough as ever, with high standards of Apprentices who are assessed on a criteria which includes; technical ability, safety awareness and professionalism. 

This year’s winner is Tom Gladding, who has worked on projects from Fabricom’s modular construction facility at Immingham and on projects for a number of their clients in the area; including ConocoPhillips and Vivergo Fuels.  

Tom Gladding (holding trophy) - Fabricom Apprentice Technician of the Year Winner with the 2011 nominees

Currently, Fabricom employs forty Apprentice Technicians from their UK facilities and project sites, who are working towards NVQ level three in their chosen discipline. This is supported by training partners The Engineering Construction Training Industry Board.

Other achievements celebrated at the awards ceremony included recognition for Engineers who are participating in the GDF SUEZ Nuclear Training Program; which includes secondments to various nuclear projects in Europe.

Some of the Fabricom employees who have undergone training and development during 2011

Yvonne Day, Senior HR Manager was also presented with a certificate by Nigel Carlton, Fabricom’s UK CEO, from The Chartered Management Institute accrediting her with ‘Chartered Management’ status. 

Yvonne Day said “It is always good to celebrate and reflect on our training and development achievements each year, in particular the high standard of skill achieved by our Apprentice Technicians and Engineers. I would like to congratulate Tom Gladding on being chosen as this year’s winner of Apprentice Technician of the Year, it makes me really proud that we employ such a bright young man, he has a great future ahead of him.” 

“We invest in and encourage lifelong learning for all of our employees and believe it is essential to do this to maintain the high level of skills required for the oil, gas and power industries that we operate in.”

Tom Gladding with Yvonne Day (Fabricom) and Steve Wigham of The Grimsby Institute of Further Education

At EDF’s West Burton Power Station, Fabricom GDF SUEZ is managing the installation of the temporary Steam Blow pipe work system. Steam Blow is used to scavenge the steam supply pipe work which feeds the steam turbines prior to commissioning the steam turbine to ensure that all connections are free of any debris that could cause damage to turbines on start up. 

The Steam Blow project includes; project management, installation of piping systems and supports, scaffolding, heat treatment, valve disassembly and pipe and support demolition on completion. This will be repeated for each of the three units on site. 

A team of twenty five to thirty people will be employed on this twelve month project. 

On completion, the new power station will generate enough electricity for approximately 1.5 million homes. 

In other areas of the UK, Fabricom GDF SUEZ has been awarded with the contract for Balance of Plant piping from Keppel Seghers, who is the EPC Contractor for the Runcorn Energy from Waste Facility in Cheshire which is being developed by a joint venture between INEOS ChlorVinyls, Viridor and John Laing. 

Fabricom’s part of this project will be managed from their new Liverpool office, which was set up late last year as a dedicated base for their ‘Fabricom Project Solutions’ division. Their project scope at Runcorn includes; mechanical installation, fabrication and installation of piping systems and pipebridges, working in all areas of the site. 

It is expected that Fabricom GDF SUEZ will employ up to sixty people on this project over a period of ten months. 

 Nigel Carlton, Fabricom GDF SUEZ Managing Director (UK) said;

“It is very encouraging to see that many of the projects that we have been working hard to win have now come into fruition. This is excellent news for Fabricom GDF SUEZ and everyone is already hard at work focussing on the projects in hand. 

I believe the professionalism and the skills of the people that we have at Fabricom GDF SUEZ has been key in these successes and I am grateful to everyone involved in winning these key contracts. 

Despite the economic downturn, as a company, we have continued to invest in training our workforce and in particular, we have continued to invest in our Apprentice Technician Training Programme. We are fully committed to ensuring that we play our part in providing the home grown engineering skills required for the sustainable future of not only our business, but also the UK oil, gas and power industries.”

GSA are currently recruiting for a Process Safety Engineer and an Electrical Engineer.

Both positions are based at GSA’s offices in Brigg, North Lincolnshire; but you would also be required to work at client sites depending upon the nature of the project.

For more information about these vacancies, click here to be directed to GSA’s website.

We are currently recruiting for all technicians, including:

• Mechanical Fitters
• Welders
• Pipefitters
• Riggers
• Discipline Supervisors

For more details on how to apply please follow the link to the recruitment area of our website.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We are currently recruiting for all technicians, including:

• Mechanical Fitters
• Welders
• Pipefitters
• Riggers
• Platers
• Arc-Air Gougers
• Project Administration Support
• Construction Managers
• Discipline Supervisors

For more details on how to apply please follow the link to the recruitment area of our website.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We are currently recruiting for the following positions:

• Estimator – Electrical & Instrumentation
• Senior Estimator – Mechanical
• Project Manager
• Procurement Officer
• Training /Recruitment/ Industrial Relations Officer

Have you got what it takes to be part of the team at one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplined engineering organisations in the UK?

For more information about any of these vacancies and details on how to apply, please visit  the recruitment area of this website  for more information.

The facility will advance high-temperature technologies and cost a total of £5 million to establish. The technologists there will pioneer new ways of turning waste products into fuels and raw materials which are crucial for industries such as energy generation, construction, steel and waste management. Alongside GSA, Fabricom has secured the construction phase of the contract which includes; construction and structural erection, ME & I installation, site establishment and project management.

This project has received £2.5 million investment from One North East through the Tees Valley Industrial Programme, which is helping to accelerate industrial transition in the area and help the region to seize new and emerging opportunities in low carbon and advanced manufacturing. Director of Business and Industry at One North East, Ian Williams said: “This new facility will be the largest of its kind in the UK and will further strengthen the global position of the North East Process Sector.”

Nigel Carlton, Managing Director of GSA and Fabricom in the UK said “following the recent acquisition of Grimley Smith Associates, I am pleased to see that the joint capabilities of Fabricom and GSA working together is already providing demonstrable value for our client, it is encouraging to see how this partnership is already successful to relevant projects where we can use the professional skills of both organisations to fulfil all stages of a project.”

The bespoke gasifier is a 2-metre wide furnace that can handle a wide range of feedstocks such as unusable oils and organic wastes and convert them into the valuable and low-carbon fuels of the future. The pyrolysis unit will convert waste materials and biomass in to liquid and gaseous fuels.

CPI Director of Strategy, Dr Graham Hiller, said: “The creation of the HTIC will provide the UK with an asset that is suitable for use by a range of companies using and developing high temperature technologies. Giving organisations access to the infrastructure and skills of CPI and Tata Steel TTC, we will be enabling the UK to increase its capability to transform research ideas into valuable commercial processes.”

Mark Sexton, Tata Steel RD&T Director Processes added: “Our aim is to work with other industries and companies in the field of high temperature process technology, increasing the pace of knowledge and capability development, bringing additional benefits to our own activities.”

The team, which included four ECITB (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board) apprentices and sixteen employees from Fabricom at Immingham, Teesside and Grimley Smith Associates at Brigg, took part individually or as part of a relay team, and completed the 13.1 mile course with times between 1 hour 38 mins and 2 hours 20mins. 

Fabricom and GSA at The Leeds Half Marathon - 8th May 2011

Fabricom’s Senior HR Manager Yvonne Day, who is responsible for all Fabricom GDF Suez apprentice technicians in the UK, said;

“This is the second year that Fabricom has entered relay teams and individuals into the Leeds Half Marathon and we were also joined by some of our colleagues from Grimley Smith Associates, an engineering design company recently acquired by Fabricom. It was fantastic opportunity for us all to do something together and some of the runners are using this as an ideal continuing their training to run the full half marathon next year.”  

The team members travelling from the Immingham and Brigg area got to the event with the support of an ECITB sponsored minibus. Val Swales, Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Account Manager at the ECITB said;

“We were delighted to help get the teams to Leeds to take part in the half-marathon. It was a really great team event and a fantastic opportunity to raise a lot of money for some very worthwhile causes.”