The 2026 STI/SPFA Weld of the Year Awards were presented on Tuesday, September 22nd at the STI/SPFA Future|Now Conference in Mobile, Ala. The awards recognize exemplary work of the talented craftspeople throughout the steel fabrication industry.
Entries were submitted by member companies and awarded in two different categories:
- Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
- Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
Submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges. Winners were selected based on the following criteria:
- Weld Quality
- Weld Difficulty
- Overall Fabrication
| 2026 STI/SPFA Weld of the Year Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Submerged Arc Welding | ||
| Welder: | Max Higgins |  |
| Company: | Boardman LLC | |
| Project Name: | 75733 | |
| Material Type: | 304 Stainless | |
| Material Thickness: | 1/2" | |
| Size of Weld: | 1/2" | |
| Weld Position: | 1G | |
| TIG Welding | ||
| Welder: | Chris Fralia |  |
| Company: | Boardman LLC | |
| Project Name: | Drain Pipe Fabrication | |
| Material Type: | Stainless 316 | |
| Material Thickness: | 3/8" | |
| Size of Weld: | 3/8" | |
| Weld Position: | 1G | |
Congratulations to all of the winners! Prizes for each winner were supplied by Beeline, National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, and Lincoln Electric.
For more information, please visit https://stispfa.org/about/awards/weld-of-the-year/.
