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A PR IL 2017 | 47 Structural Steel PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY WALTERS GROUP Changes abound for structural steel companies by ROBIN BRUNET T here's no sugar coating the fact that the Canadian structural steel sector has seen better days. The downturn several years ago of the oil and gas indus- try took a substantial chunk of activity away from fabricators. Meanwhile, China's rampant steel production has caused a global glut and an accompany- ing drop in prices, which in turn has forced many fabrication firms to either down- size or innovate. That said, those in the industry still have an asset to draw upon, and it's a huge one: the inherent benefits of structural steel. From the design process to the fab- rication and erection cycles, structural steel is still the cost-effective favourite for construction projects, not only in initial outlay costs, but also in fire protection, replacement and insurance costs. And it almost goes without saying that steel is one of the strongest and most durable materials available, resistant to the elements and offering a stress yield of 50,000 pounds per square inch in both compression and tension. As fabricators find ways to compensate for the loss of business caused by the oil and gas sector, Tareq Ali, director of marketing and communications at the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), is more eager than ever to pro- mote steel's various benefits. "Steel is the most sustainable building material on the planet, with the steel used in Canada having a 93 percent recycled content," he says. "Moreover, there is no degradation of quality in the steel recycling process. No other material can make the same claim." Brian Thompson, project manager for M&G Steel Limited, describes some of the changes that have affected his sector over the years. "M&G Steel is entering our 30th year of providing quality structural steel and service, predominantly in the Greater Toronto Area [GTA], and steel fabrication in this market has been ever changing," he says. "Each fabricator and installer must gravitate to their niche of work in the marketplace that stands them apart and makes them more competitive than other steel companies. Pricing can get tough, as the market has created interest for many steel competitors, both foreign and domestic." Thompson adds: "With the evolvement of rapidly changing IT systems, web- based administration systems, email warfare and new types of construction con- tracts such as IPD and P3, DB and CM to name a few, it would be fair to say that all steel fabricators have to continually review how they are running their business in order to stay above water. "Things get more complicated when you add in LEED, COR, WHMIS, QA/QC, safety and ever-changing government legislations such as the 'working at heights' and lift training. I believe most steel companies will state that they love what they do but would admit that they get bogged down and do not necessarily like the way the changes now force them to do things. But we all must remain positive for the sake of the current industry and the sustainability of the steel market." Peter Kranendonk, president of Walters Group Inc., presides over a company that has improved efficiencies and focused on a different market in the wake of the oil and gas downturn. "Over the past year we completed several initiatives that improve our operational excellence, including the installation of new equipment and automation capabilities," he says. Walters benefits from being a vertically integrated structural steel construction firm that also provides a full spectrum of services ranging from budgeting, esti- mating, design, detailing and construction engineering, through fabrication and erection to specialty finishes and architectural features. As such, in response to the decline of the oil and gas sector, the company has compensated by increasing its number of projects in the U.S. Kranendonk says: "The more substantial ones stateside include the Manhattan West commercial office high-rise building in New York City, for which we've already supplied 6,000 tons of steel for the podium and will supply a further 13,000 tons for the tower." The already completed phase includes multiple built-up heavy sections weighing up to 87 tons per assembly. Walters is also supplying the LaGuardia Airport in New York with 5,000 tons of steel to help create a new concourse. Meanwhile, in Canada, the company is On Higher Ground Built-up heavy sections going in on the Manhattan West high-rise building site, New York, NY. 9:58 AM

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