Award

48 | A PR IL 2017 RENDERING + WIREFRAME COURTESY DYNAMIC ATTRACTIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY GEORGE THIRD & SON Structural Steel presiding over projects for Honda and GE, and on a smaller scale it was recently selected to supply and install the structural steel required for Ryerson University's Church Street Development (CSD) project, a multifunctional hub that will house aca- demic and administrative spaces, several retail areas, four levels of underground parking and accommodations for over 250 students. Quebec-based Supermétal's recent projects include fabricating 50 steel bridges for the new Turcot Interchange, a significant infrastructure project for the City of Montreal. It also provided fabrication and installation services for that city's new Maison Manuvie, one of the few Montreal office buildings to have column-free space from core to curtain wall, made possible by long span steel framing. But in terms of a showcase for structural steel as well as sheer scale, it would be hard to beat the International Facilities Project (IFP) for the Calgary International Airport (YYC). For this project, Supermétal erected 8,000 tonnes of structural steel, including 2,000 tonnes of architecturally exposed structural steel for the airport concourse. The exposed triangulated trusses are a showcase for the check-in and depar- tures hall: both structural and architectural, sturdy yet light – and, despite their size, discreet. Although the last truss was installed several years ago, Supermétal still regards this as one of the most challenging installations it has ever engineered, detailed, fabricated, transported (the trusses were delivered all the way from Quebec) and erected. With eight divisions and growing, Edmonton-based Supreme Group is the larg- est privately owned steel construction company in Canada, and the largest steel fabricator in Western Canada and the American northwest. Due to these divi- sions, Supreme has been involved in projects that are large and diverse in scope, from installing 30 girders and miscellaneous components for a rail overpass west of Regina, Saskatchewan (hoisting had to be carefully co-ordinated over the constantly busy main rail line), to the famous seismic upgrade and retrofit of BC Place Stadium. But arguably one of Supreme's most unique projects was providing Suncor Energy with a floating barge system with a 27,000 cubic metre per hour pumping capacity for its tailings reduction process. Shippable, pre-assembled modules were fabricated entirely off-site at Supreme Steel's Edmonton and Acheson facilities. The scope of the project included the fabrication and erection of six barge hulls, three pump houses and associated mechanical work. Due to the dimensions and the weight of the barges, in combination with crane limitations, the 100-foot by 24-foot by eight-foot sections couldn't be moved once fabrication began, so Supreme crews came up with a plan for executing a large vol- ume of in-position welding. Several people welding at a time were closely monitored, and they were shuttled to different locations of the hull so the heat would dissipate and not cause any plate deformation. If any steel specialist could be said to advance the scope of mass-market enter- tainment and other ventures not normally associated with the material, it would be B.C.-based Dynamic Structures, which is part of Empire Industries Ltd., a leader in precise design and manufacture of complex steel products. Dynamic has provided structures for the Olympics, helped create theme park attractions and has worked with the likes of Disney and Universal Studios. And because so much of Dynamic's work is international in nature, CEO Guy Nelson reports: "We're incredibly busy. Last year we were involved in 23 different proj- ects, which is massive for us. This year, part of our focus is a project that has been over a decade in the making." Nelson is referring to Dynamic being the lead contractor for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and responsible for the precise steel enclosure that will protect the telescope from temperatures and winds in the 22-storey tower at the summit of Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii. "The project will be finished by 2025, and so many elements are involved – from barging material to Hawaii to fabricating a 2,000-ton dome that must rotate precisely for astronomers – that this is definitely shaping up to be one of our most memorable jobs," he says. While the oil and gas sector decline has caused challenges for many Canadian fabricators, new prospects are generating considerable anticipation. "A lot of us are hoping to work on the Massey Bridge project, a huge job that could mean steady employment for five or more years – provided the provincial government hires locally and doesn't farm the work out to offshore companies," says Rob Third, pres- ident of B.C.-based George Third & Son. The George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project, estimated to be worth $3.5 bil- lion, includes a new bridge and related Highway 99 improvements, and dedicated transit/HOV lanes. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with a tenta- tive completion date of 2022. George Third & Son, which was founded in 1910, prides itself on seeking out the best and most effective design solution for its clients. This has resulted in many high-profile achievements, such as supplying and installing the longest steel and wood hybrid roof arches in the world for the Richmond Olympic Oval. But Rob Third stresses that in order for experienced steel fabricators to take full advantage of major infrastructure and other projects coming down the turn- pike, they must be supported by government. "I'm worried about the protectionism evolving in other parts of the world and how it might hurt our industry, but on the other side of the coin I think it's important for our various levels of government to recognize home grown talent and limit the amount of jobs that are farmed out off- shore, if at all possible," he says. Meanwhile, the CISC is doing its part to ensure that Canada's steel specialists are recognized for their skills. "We applaud Ottawa for its commitment to infra- structure spending, but we must ensure that when we buy steel, that it's Canadian steel," says CISC's Ali. The Association is also busy pushing for the implementation of Bill S-226, which will presumably resolve the ongoing issue of prompt payment. Currently, up to 25 percent of all receivables in the steel sector are past 60 days due. CISC is also planning for the next Canadian Steel Conference as well as Steel Day, both venues of which go a long way in promoting the industry to prospective clients and the general public. "We have a busy 2017 ahead," says Ali. "We're hopeful it will be a prosperous one too." A Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii. Hot formed 1,000 ton capacity Anchor Shackle for the US Navy's Gerald Ford aircraft carrier.

• Cover