Craftsmanship, quality and professionalism were front and centre last night, with the winners of the 2024 New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Welding Excellence Awards announced in Sydney.
Weld Australia's Excellence Awards are the most prestigious event on the welding industry calendar. The Awards showcase and celebrate the world-class work being undertaken by local welders, fabricators and industry educators.
This year, the awards were held at Rydges World Square in Sydney and saw the best and brightest from the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory welding industry come together to acknowledge the incredible calibre of work achieved over the past 12 months.
According to Weld Australia's CEO, Geoff Crittenden, "The 2024 Welding Excellence Awards shine a light on the remarkable talents of welders and fabricators right across New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory. Weld Australia is thrilled to celebrate both businesses and individuals who are making waves in welding through their dedication to quality, safety and innovation."
"This year's winners feature businesses and individuals committed to the pursuit of innovative, sustainable solutions that minimise risk and maximise project outcomes, as well as initiatives designed to increase the breadth and depth of skilled labour within the welding sector," Crittenden said.
NWEC won the 2024 Company of the Year Award - Fabrication. NWEC is a specialist in steel fabrication, painting, installation, construction management, and welding resource supply, with over 40 years of experience serving Australia's petrochemical, mining, aviation, rail, road, gas and heavy industry sectors. Known for its exceptional quality and consistency, NWEC stands out by combining top-tier fabrication and welding services with comprehensive quality, safety, environment, and project management systems.
IndigeFab won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Indigenous. IndigeFab is a progressive and proud 100% indigenous-owned and operated business, established in 2023, under parent company Absolutions Group. It draws on over 25 years of experience across all sectors of the construction industry with a focus on delivering exceptional metal fabrication services Australia-wide. Notably, IndigeFab has become the preferred partner to supply and fabricate sunshades structures for NSW schools across the state manufacturing 30 to 40 structures every year.
MC Quality Control won the 2024 Project of the Year Award for Glencore's Colombian operations. MC Quality has worked with Glencore in Australia for nearly a decade, focusing on improving welding QA/QC processes and enhancing the structural reliability of their mining equipment. Glencore's Colombian operations asked MC Quality to help address similar issues, expanding the use of Australian expertise in an international context. In this project, MC Quality audited a workshop with 500 employees and conducted welding inspections on new and in-service mining equipment – navigating language barriers and demanding environmental conditions to ensure quality and reliability in line with international standards.
APEX Welding Safety (AWS) won the 2024 Health and Safety in Welding Award. A passionate advocate for welders' health and safety in Australia and New Zealand, AWS has published numerous welding safety whitepapers and industry reports, and welding fume control frameworks. As a company that specialises in welding fume safety equipment, its goal is to raise awareness and education around the important issues that welders face. AWS also played a major role in campaigning for the 2024 legislative change to the workplace exposure standard for welding fume.
Kemppi won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Supplier. Kemppi is a leading multinational manufacturer and supplier of welding solutions, including the design, development and production of welding equipment, accessories, and safety gear as well as digital solutions and consulting and training services. Since its inception 1949, the Kemppi has pioneered and shaped the welding industry by solving welding challenges – such as being the first to move from analog to digital welding technology, and introducing the world's first universal welding management software and digital welding procedure specifications.
Welding Quality Management Systems (WQMS) won the 2024 Training and Education – Organisation Award. WQMS are structural cracking and weld repair management experts, providing a holistic suite of solutions, services, training, software and supplies for crack and weld repair management of fixed and mobile structures. They worked with IBSA to create and develop the Cert IV level unit MEM05069 Perform Advanced Weld Repair and Maintenance to meet broad industry needs for an accredited VET unit for maintenance welding. WQMS has also helped develop a training package for Muswellbrook TAFE, including a detailed learner guide, e-modules, practical assessment, and coaching for upskilling.
The three winners of the 2024 Welding Professional of the Year Award were: Sungmook (Mac) Park from TSS Engineering for the Welding Coordinator category; Terry Morton from MC Quality for the Welding Inspector category; and Emil Dionisio from E&C Welding Inspection and Services for the Welding Supervisor category.
Holly Collins from Assure QC won the 2024 Young Trades Person of the Year category. Holly is a fully qualified tradesperson working in gas and power generation across NSW. A ticketed pressure TIG welder, she started out in the food industry where she fabricated and welded many stainless-steel components and piping, before moving into the hydrogen industry and then power generation. In her short time, Holly has already demonstrated commitment and dedication to the craft, overcoming challenges and working hard to get the job done – making her an inspiration to young women in the welding profession.
Chris Todd from Ventia was named the 2024 Trades Person of the Year. Chris started with Ventia as an apprentice in the project services workshop and has worked his way up to become the Leading Hand. He has played a key role in the delivery of multiple projects across both structural and piping, including the fabrication of a nearly 1000m 300NB bunker oil pipeline and 200-300NB high-pressure steam pipework to supply a turbo alternator. Chris also takes pride in passing on his knowledge to the next generation, training apprentices how to accurately align and check their fabrication prior to welding.
Francesco Prestia from TAFE NSW won the 2024 Training and Education – Individual Teacher Award. Francesco is Head Teacher of Metal Fabrication and Welding at TAFE NSW, overseeing six campuses in the Riverina. He coordinates and delivers the Certificate 3 in Engineering to over 100 apprentices, and Certificate 4 in Engineering to 30 students across the state using virtual classrooms and face to face delivery. Francesco is also passionate about offering pathways for school students into trade areas, with a focus on metals and manufacturing: this year alone, he has organised and taught eight programs introducing school students to trade careers.
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About Weld Australia
Weld Australia represents the welding profession in Australia. Its members are made up of individual welding professionals and companies of all sizes. Weld Australia members are involved almost every facet of Australian industry and make a significant contribution to the nation's economy. The primary goal of Weld Australia is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains locally and globally competitive, both now and into the future. Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).
