Winners of the 2024 STI/SPFA Steel Product Awards were announced on February 20, 2025, during the STI/SPFA Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, SC. Member companies were recognized across fourteen different categories. This year’s entries used a combined total of 19,000 tons of steel.
Steel Water Pipe Project of the Year
Advanced Water Treatment Plant
Pipe Fabrication
Jifco Fabricated Piping
Advanced Water Treatment Plant
Overall Height/Length: 4,600’
Diameter: 24” Through 86″
Steel Tonnage: 600
Steel Thickness: 1/4″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″
Steel Fitting Type: AWWA C208
The pipe was manufactured per AWWA C200 from high-strength steel with cement mortar lining and polyurethane coating. Features include 100% radiographic inspection of all welding, underground prestressed concrete clearwell, and a high-pressure final pump station.
Kennedale Balancing Reservoir Yard Piping and Inlet and Outlet Modifications
Pipeline Project
Mid America Pipe Fabricating & Supply, LLC
Kennedale Balancing Reservoir Yard Piping and Inlet and Outlet Modifications
Overall Height/Length: 13,000’
Diameter: 122″ to 48″
Steel Tonnage: 3,100
Steel Thickness: 3″ to 3/8″
Steel Fitting Type: AWWA C200 and C208
This project consisted of several different size and wall thickness of pipe. Pipe sizes ranged from 123″ od to 48″ od. All the pipe was cement lined. There was very little coating on this project as a majority of the project was backfilled with flowable fill. The pipeline line has several bends, elbows and outlets to divert from existing utilities and tie into the existing pipe already on the jobsite.
Field Erected Tank of the Year
Wisconsin LNG Project We Energies
API 620 Low Pressure Liquid Storage Tank
CB&I Plainfield
Wisconsin LNG Project
Overall Height/Length: 154’-6”
Column Height: 136’-3” (outer tank)
Diameter: 136’-6” (outer tank)
Capacity (gallons): 12,000,000
Steel Tonnage: 1,525
Steel Thickness: 0.25” – 1.4’
WEC Energy Group (WEC) determined additional natural gas capacity was needed to meet the growing demand on the coldest days in southeast Wisconsin. The Bluff Creek location is home to a 12,000,000 gallon double-wall, single-containment liquefied natural gas storage tank, compliant with API 625, API 620, and NFPA 59A standards. The scope included the engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction of the tank foundation, outer carbon steel tank, and inner 9% Ni steel tank.
EV Battery Chemical Plant Tank Farm
API 650 Atmospheric Oil Storage Tank
Kennedy Tank and MFG
EV Battery Chemical Plant Tank Farm
Overall Height/Length: 36′
Column Height: 36′
Diameter: 36′
Capacity (gallons): 522,000 Gallons total (276,000 for largest of (5) tanks)
Steel Tonnage: 143 tons total (55 tons for largest of (5) tanks)
Steel Thickness: 1/4″ – 3/8″
The Jaewon Tank Farm in Kokomo, IN, consisted of (5) API-650 storage tanks for the Electric Vehicle Battery Chemical Industry. These tanks were built to the highest Safety and Quality standards while working closely with the South Korean-based customer and owner. The field erected portion of the project consisted of 522,000 gallons of storage and utilized 143 tons of steel.
(4) 26.8m (87′-9) X 20 barg (290psig) LPG Spheres
ASME Pressure Vessel
CB&I
(4) 26.8m (87′-9) X 20 barg (290psig) LPG Spheres
Overall Height/Length: 93′-10″
Column Height: 50′-5″
Diameter: 87′-9″
Capacity (gallons): 10,600,000
Steel Tonnage: 6054
Steel Thickness: .56″ up to 2.36″
This project consisted of the engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, full field post weld heat treating, and painting of (4) 26.8m (87′-9) x 20 barg (290psig) LPG spheres for Refidomsa at the Terminal Haina in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
750,000 Gallon NW Area Tower
Elevated Tank
Caldwell Tanks, Inc.
750,000 Gallon NW Area Tower
Overall Height/Length: 206’10”
Column Height: 159’10”
Diameter: 64′
Capacity (gallons): 750,000
Steel Tonnage: 200
Steel Thickness: 1/4″ to 27/32″
The new Faribault, MN water tower is a 750,000 gallon Composite Elevated Tank, with a 202’ overall height that is highlighted with color changing decorative LED lighting making the new water tower a very tall beacon announcing the City of Faribault on US Interstate Highway 35 between Minneapolis and Des Moines. The tower is functional as well and beautiful, with a heated base room.
The decorative lighting colors are community-nominated and selected, and the lighting project has engaged the community, providing a great source of pride amongst city residents with their new water tower.
Reservoir 1 Replacement
Reservoir
Paso Robles Tank, Inc.
Reservoir 1 Replacement
Overall Height/Length: 22’
Column Height: 27′ – 10-1/18″
Diameter: 130′
Capacity (gallons): 2MG
Steel Tonnage: 297
Steel Thickness: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8
This 2.0 million gallon welded steel reservoir was erected as an addition to a site with an existing tank. Along with design and construction of the reservoir, the project scope also included earthwork, yard piping, and a new chlorine building.
Winery Expansion
Special Storage
Paso Robles Tank, Inc
Winery Expansion
Overall Height/Length: 34
Column Height: 30
Diameter: 30
Capacity (gallons): 161,000
Steel Tonnage: 22.6
Steel Thickness: .135
(7) Double Walled & Insulated Field Erected Wine Tanks – The inner tank is 30′-0″ dia x 30′-0″ high stainless-steel dimple jacketed, truncated roof with 4′ rise, flat sloping floor. The inner tank is insulated with 3″ of polyisocyanurate foam and cladded with stainless steel outer shell that is 30′-6″ dia. x 30′-6″ tall.
Magnolia Woods Standpipe
Standpipe
Paso Robles Tank, Inc
Magnolia Woods Standpipe
Overall Height/Length: 87
Column Height: 0
Diameter: 24
Capacity (gallons): 291,000
Steel Tonnage: 46
Steel Thickness: .25-.3125
This 291,000 welded steel standpipe features an umbrella roof. The tank was erected as part of the Magnolia Woods MUD No.1 Water Supply Plant project which included the 87′ standpipe, two wells, horizontal split case booster pumps, a hydropneumatic tank, and a booster pump building to supply drinking water to the locals.
Dismantle and Re-Erection of two 75′-5 Dia x 250psig Spheres
Repair and Modification
CB&I
Dismantle and Re-Erection of two 75′-5 Dia x 250psig Spheres
Overall Height/Length: 81’-6
Column Height: 43′-9
Diameter: 75′-5.5
Capacity (gallons): 3,295,000
Steel Tonnage: 1,688
Steel Thickness: 1.95in Max
Engineer, Dismantle, Transport, and Re-Erection of (2) 75’-5 Dia x 250psig LPG Spheres in Ecuador. The spheres were dismantled and re-erected more than 300 km away at another LPG facility. Reconstructed spheres were designed to match the original design of ASME Section VIII, Div 2.
Fabricated Product of the Year
268′ Tower/Column in 26 Weeks
Pressure Vessel
Enerfab Process Solutions, LLC
268′ Tower/Column in 26 Weeks
Overall Height/Length: 268′
Column Height: 268′
Diameter: 10’-6″
Capacity (gallons): 145,000
Steel Tonnage: 300
Steel Thickness: 2
In the fall of 2023, a major petrochemical plant suffered a catastrophic collapse of one of its largest refining towers. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but the event devastated operations. Under significant financial and operational stress, the owner sought bids from around the world to get the replacement column built as quickly as possible. Every other fabricator said it would take at least 18 months. We did it in 26 weeks. 268′ across 2 fabrication shops.
30,000 Gallon Grease Tanks
Shop-Fabricated Atmospheric Tank
STAFCO
30,000 Gallon Grease Tanks
Overall Height/Length: 36-0
Column Height: 36-0
Diameter: 12-0
Capacity (gallons): 30,000
Steel Tonnage: 10
Steel Thickness: 1/4”
Single Wall insulated 30,000 gallon vertical UL-142. Heated with bolt-on steam jackets. Tanks receive heated railcar loads of grease, hold the contents at temperature until distribution. 3 total tanks, each insulated and heated, 90,000 total gallons.
Condenser HX
Special Fabrication
Ward Vessel and Exchanger Corp
Condenser HX
Overall Height/Length: 30 ft
Column Height: n/a
Diameter: 12 ft
Capacity (gallons): n/a
Steel Tonnage: 125 tons
Steel Thickness: 1″
The stainless steel heat exchanger consisted of 3400 tubes with a 12 ft diameter nozzle welded into the 12 ft diameter shell. This unit weighed in at 250,000 lbs and couldn’t be rolled for most of the fabrication so most of the welding was done out of position. This unit serves as the workhorse in the end users process.
Four 20,000 gallon UL-2085 Fireguards and one 8,000 gallon UL-2085 Fireguard Jet Fuel Storage Tanks for Love Field
STI Technology
Lannon Tank Company
Four 20,000 gallon UL-2085 Fireguards and one 8,000 gallon UL-2085 Fireguard Jet Fuel Storage Tanks for Love Field
Overall Height/Length: 26’4″
Column Height: 13’4″
Diameter: 12’
Capacity (gallons): (1) 8,000 Gallon & (4) 20,000 gallons
Steel Tonnage: 80
Steel Thickness: 1/4″ inner, 1/4″ outer
These 20,000 gallon and 8,000 gallon UL-2085 Fireguard jet fuel storage tanks are interior blasted to SPCC-SP10 and coated with two coats of HSC Novolac epoxy lining. All internal piping and tank fittings are 304SS. Included in the project is a galvanized, OSHA compliant catwalk system with access to all tanks.
About the STI/SPFA Safety Awards
The STI/SPFA Safety Awards acknowledge the highest achievements in the safe performance of companies engaged in shop fabrication, inspection, maintenance, and field construction activities.
Learn more and view past winners at: stispfa.org/about/awards
