Category: Blog

Happy holidays! Wishing everyone to experience the light of laughter, the warmth of love, and the joy of gratitude this season and beyond.

As the year comes to a close, we want to send our deep gratitude to our valued customers, clients, partners, and dedicated employees. We appreciate the fantastic collaboration and mutual support that have allowed ESC to play a role in each other’s success stories.

Certainly, the post-pandemic year has tested our resilience and adaptability. Businesses worldwide grapple with various challenges. The global economy deals with inflation and economic uncertainties. Rising costs of raw materials, alongside the increased production, transportation, and operating expenses, have put a significant strain on profitability. The swift pace of digitalization presents challenges for companies to efficiently adapt and integrate new technologies. In a globalized market, businesses encounter intensified competition, demanding innovative strategies to distinguish themselves.

Amidst these challenges, everyone rallied to quickly adapt to the changing needs of clients and customers. ESC saw the important opportunity to innovate, implementing solutions and align its strategies with the requirements of both local and international operations.

The challenging year acted as a driving force for digital transformation, leading to the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies to improve efficiency and agility. This demands strategic planning, diversification, and research to adapt to market dynamics. We embraced new technologies, focusing on investments geared towards leveraging the digital realm, enabling us to connect with an expanding network of partners and customers globally.

Reflecting to our journey this 2023, we are extending our heartfelt gratitude for the received and awarded projects that shaped our success. The initial stages bring excitement, from the discussion of client’s requirements to finalizing the contracts, the partnership grows throughout the collaboration. The shared enthusiasm of everyone involved paved the way for excellent results. Each project goes beyond being a business endeavour; it stands as a testament to the trust and confidence our clients and partners have in our capabilities. It serves as another opportunity for ESC to strengthen relationships by showcasing our products and services and deliver outstanding output.

To our clients, partners and customers

We are thankful for the trust bestowed upon us, reaffirming the strong relationship we’ve cultivated and emphasizing the value of our partnership.

To our employees

Recognition is due for the dedication and tireless efforts of our team. The unwavering commitment to excellence has played a vital role in successfully securing and executing our projects, showcasing our combined expertise.

We further express our appreciation for all our accomplishments, which serve as validation for our commitment to delivering trustworthy products and services with an integrity that defines ESC.

During this festive season, a time for contemplation, and spreading happiness, we express our heartfelt thankfulness for having you as an integral part of our extended family.

Cheers to a year marked by collective accomplishments and mutual triumphs. Everyone has played a crucial role in our 2023 journey. May the holiday season bring you peace, happiness and cherished moments with loved ones. As we approach the new year, we wish you and your families good health, prosperity, and abundance. We value all the contributions and are excited about the opportunities as we welcome the upcoming year and what it holds for us together.

Click here to read ESC Times December Edition

One of ESC’s Engineering capabilities in metal fabrication is to produce all types of CAD drawings in 2D and 3D models, including visualizations using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) system.  It may not be a significant edge in the first place, since almost all fabrication companies have the ability to do the same. But here’s the difference – in ESC, our engineering professionals are highly committed in the accuracy, cohesion, and refinement of our fabrication drawings and calculations. This is to ensure design-compliance, enhanced swift construction, and prevention of costly yet unwanted remedial works. 

Are drawings that much necessary? Yes, drawings plays both roles of being the almanac and encyclopedia of a project. It is the totality of all of the ideas, calculations, and concepts put in paper. From drawings, cost estimates are developed, machines and equipment are scheduled, and timelines are generated. From drawings, real structural parts are formed or assembled into precise details.

These things are achieved from pre-construction drawings which are also called ‘For Construction’ (FC) Drawings, ‘Issued for Construction’ (IFC) Drawings, or simply ‘Construction Drawings’. That’s not all, still by the aid of ‘As-Built’ or ‘Red-mark’ drawings as reference, built structures are maintained and kept operational. That’s what a drawing or blueprint is all about.

There are many types of drawings which are equally important and also applies in different stages of the construction phase. Fabrication drawings or shop drawings, for instance, are integral parts of a complete set of design drawings but are more specific to parts and usually prepared by suppliers or vendors themselves. Shop drawings apply to metal or steel fabrication, PVC fabrication, composite, and any type of construction. It is utilized as the ultimate guide to any kind of fabrication work in each and every business industry.

Varieties of fabrication projects that range from complex to much simpler scope of works are all produced from fabrication drawings. Complex fabrication works can be large piping networks, pre-engineered & other structural buildings, steel bridges, industrial machineries, navigation vessels, and many more. Simple scope of works includes assembly of doors & windows, trench shields or trench boxes, garbage chutes, sheet pile & pipe pile walls, marine bollards & fenders, and so on. 

What is Fabrication or Shop Drawing?

Steel fabrication drawings contain all specifications and details required in the manufacture, fabrication, and assembly of a metal or steel project. Manufactured, fabricated, or assembled components are later put-up to form into a structure with the help of general arrangement or installation drawings. The process is called steel detailing.

Steel fabrication drawings has two elements as below:

• Assembly Drawings – technical drawings used to illustrate assembly with multiple components. The purpose of these drawings is to show how those components fit together and are presented in many forms such as orthogonal plans, sections and elevations, or three-dimensional views.

For example, a DIY (Do It Yourself) product must have an accompanying assembly drawing to enable the customer to come up with a properly assembled purchase. Whereas, the assembly drawing should include instructions, complete list of components, code numbers, reference to shop drawings, dimensions, notes & symbols, and more.

In steel fabrication, a proper assembly drawing should contain but not limited to the following:

• •  Orthogonal assembly plans, elevations or views, sections, and details;
  •   3D view or exploded view of the assembly;
  •  Technical requirements for fabrication such as compliance standards;
  • Type of connections such as bolted, welded, or combination;
  •    Protective coating or anti-corrosion system information;
  •  Single parts list, shop weld list, & assembly lists;
  • Scales & dimensions;
  •    Type & size of shop welds and connectors;
  • Name and mark of assembly.

• Single Part Drawings – workshop drawings showing visual representation of one part or member only, usually without connections. The purpose of a single-part drawing is to permit the production of a single part without referring to other drawings. For a single-part drawing to be effective, it should come precisely with the following information:
  • Material specification;
  • Material shape, sizes or linear dimensions, and cutting tolerances;
  •   Angular dimensions and tolerances;
  • Type, size, and location of weld or connector;
  • Flat patterns including bend lines;
  • Weight of piece;
  • Finish details such as heat treatment, surface, grinding, and more.

A single-part drawing should also mention the number of parts needed to manufacture for the entire assembly or project. It should also indicate the sub-assembly or main assembly where it belongs.

Examples of a single part drawing:

• Anchor bolt detail;
• Embedded plate detail;
• Gusset plate detail;
•  Flange detail and many more.

Importance of Fabrication Drawings

Steel fabrication drawings are one of the essentials and play a crucial part in steel construction. Without accurate shop drawings, fabricators are lost and will never be able to produce premium quality steel components. Here’s why they are important.

• Accuracy – Computer-aided fabrication drawings are produced with very high precision due to automation and excellent visualization. With the use of steel detailing software, errors are automatically detected and corrected. Synchronization of different fabrication sheets made easier compared to manual drafting. These precise details are critical for smooth coordination between interfacing teams, eliminating or minimizing errors and delays throughout the fabrication and installation period. Shop drawings essentially reduces or eliminates on-site fabrication issues. This is because 3D models can be viewed virtually from every angle, not only giving a perfect visualization of the physical parts but also the real-time progress of the project.
• Cohesion – Parties involved in a construction project such as stakeholders, architects & engineers, contractors, vendors, and fabricators are guided accordingly by the presence of a common masterplan. It does not only avoid miscommunications but also enhances effective collaboration resulting to swift decision making and on-time project delivery.
• Design Compliance – Meticulously-prepared CAD drawings results in a high degree of accuracy in the production of parts or components and overall design-compliance. Adherence to specified material and production standards also ensures elimination of future structural failures and hazards.
• Cost-effectiveness – By creating a realistic model of the project through 2d & 3D drawings, inspection and quantification of materials is made accurate and easy. It does not only reduce time to prepare material requirements for the project but also minimizes material wastage and reduce unnecessary costs.

Benefits of Steel Fabrication Drawings

• Better Quality Control – Having a clear visual representation of the steel components and the entire structure, quality control teams can proactively detect and correct deviations to negate the impact of delays and losses.
• Improved Construction Management – Still by having an excellent visualization of the project progress in the drawing models, project management teams can set out plans and resources more efficiently for better execution at any stage of the construction.
• Rapid Construction – With fabrication drawings at hand, steel manufacturers and fabricators can streamline production activities. This results in faster production and maximizes allocation of resources. Simultaneous or parallel production ensures that steel parts or components are readily available on-time or when needed.
• Customization – Steel fabrication drawings allow customized designs to suit the specific requirements of a particular project. This flexibility enables architects and engineers to design innovative and complex structures that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Our Steel Fabrication Drawings at ESC

• Drawn to high standards – Steel fabrication and all forms of drawings we provide are drawn to high-standards to meet and even surpass the requirements of your projects. Not only our engineers and technical staff comes from global diversity, ESC have invested in the training and experience of our people using the leading suits of design and drawing software. Using these powerful tools, ESC can accurately produce high-caliber presentations to boost our client’s confidence, in us and in the business industry.
• Accurate – Precision and accuracy of steel fabrication drawings is the most instrumental key for a steel construction project to succeed. And to be able to cater the most accurate drawings and designs in this field, we shall continue to hold fast of the advancements in technology and sophisticated yet innovative approaches that enhances further the quality and efficiency of construction projects worldwide.
• Cost-effective – ESC prides itself not just on selling its products but delivering a complete set of services to the customer, especially when comes to design. ESC engineers are well-suited to work closely with the client to consider all design options, select the best one, eliminate unnecessary costs, while keeping a high-integrity and cost-effective design.

ESC’s reputation is built on excellence and commitment in providing high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. We can provide competitive prices by adhering to engineering innovations and advance technologies that enhance safety and product quality, reduce unnecessary operational costs, and create added value to our products and services.

ESC Group: Building the Future with Expertise and Complete Engineered Solutions

ESC maintains a strong commitment to empowering a more sustainable future by providing complete engineered construction solutions that increases efficiency and reduces risks in projects.

Unexpected socio-economic distractions especially the pandemic has undeniably altered the way business is done for some time. Political conflicts have also been intervening on-off, affecting economies and commerce negatively. But besides these constraints, social-economic-environmental issues are emerging more critical and still deemed as the main priorities in the next 100 years or beyond. Why so? These three aspects, besides morals, are the pillars of sustainability or sustainable development – a quest for human which is so far a work in progress. Read more….

Download a copy of click here “ESC Times June 2023 Edition” to read online.

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Honoring an Ingenious Leader: A tribute to our founder

We are thankful for courage, perseverance, and patience to establish a company and worked hard to reach goal after another. Mentoring a good number of leaders who are until now displaying the same discipline and compassion towards client and company staff. Now a lot of people benefit from that hard work, as years after, ESC grows into a globally recognized company that offers quality products, services, and job opportunities worldwide.

Thank you for your great heart. Thank you for a life well lived.

Featured Product: ESC Aluminum Trench Shields

With the significant upgrade required on existing infrastructure in the US and the new housing growth the market for trench shoring products continues to look very promising. The vast percentage of trench shoring material us temporary and this allows contractors rental and purchase options.

ESC Trench Shoring Inc., a NAXSA and NUCA member and a recognized provider in the global stage has now launched its latest product line if aluminum trench shields and sheet piles.

Project Highlights:

• Mooresville, North Carolina Trench Shields Supply
• Bermuda, Fibre Reinforced (FRP) Sheet Piles
• Kuala Lumpur, Flood Mitigation Project
• Mindanao, Philippines Bypass Road Project – Bailer Bridge Projects.
• Visayas, Philippines Bailey Bridge Project
• Navotas, Philippines – Regional Fish Port Project
• Ras Al Khaimah, UAE – Standard & Manhole Trench Boxes Supply 
• Mexico City, New Airport Freeway Project

Team Spotlights:

ESC 2023 Global Gathering

ESC Global Gathering 2023 was a 4-day event held from April 17 to 20, bringing together ESC group leaders and key players to gain insights into critical aspects of the business and further strengthen connections.

Overall, the forecasts and plans presented during the gathering were overwhelming optimistic, with upcoming projects in various locations and continued internal and external partnership expected to drive business development.

ESC Philippines Goes to Boracay

The team created an unforgettable experience, a lifelong memory of enjoying the activities in the world-class island. Some of which are Parasailing, Helmet Diving, Island hopping, Bar hopping, and more. The fun and laughter shared creates a harmonious and balanced relationship within the team.

ESC Group (Middle East) Boat Party

The team created an unforgettable experience, a lifelong memory of enjoying the activities in the world-class island. Some of which are Parasailing, Helmet Diving, Island hopping, Bar hopping, and more. The fun and laughter shared creates a harmonious and balanced relationship within the team.

Employee Section:

Employee Profile:

Kevin Graham Ashdown – Managing Director; ESC Al Sharafi Steel LLC in UAE

Get to know ESC Employees

Seiji Buenaflor, Procurement Officer, ESC Steel Philippines

Namita Singh, Sale Manager, ESC Group Middle East 

Nur Ameera, Sale Executive, ESC Steel Engineering (Malaysia)

A Penny for your thoughts:  If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive, who would that be and why? Pet Lovers: Share your Pet

Steel industry is one of the essential industries for the development of any community. It provides necessary inputs mainly for the construction of infrastructures, power generation and distribution, transportation facilities and vehicles, manufacturing machinery and equipment – all of which are vital for a community to achieve growth. 

The industry’s outputs are utilized by both commercial and industrial enterprises, such as electronics, steel sections manufacturing, and shipbuilding, among others. Hence, the industry’s demand for steel production has extremely increased throughout the years.

The high demand on steel products also paved the way for many business owners to venture in manufacturing and trading different steel products that will cater various requirements from different industries.

Currently, there is a great competition in the market on steel manufacturing and supply and here are essential questions to ask a steel supplier to consider before buying a steel product for a specific project or requirement:

I. How many years have you been in the industry?

Experience always plays a big role when it comes to making partnerships. It’s helpful to have a steel supplier on your side that has been in the industry for a good number of years and has established a good reputation and relationship with its customers and business partners. A newer supplier may not have access to relationships that can get you the high-quality steel you want at a price that’s reasonable.

Besides their years of service, it is of greater importance to also know which scale of operations has your steel provider handled in the past. You can request for a portfolio of their past clients, their company profile, or even certifications (if applicable). These are good indicators that the supplier is institutionally recognized in providing high-quality materials. Furthermore, asking about their experience also ensures that they have a mature business model honed and perfected through years and years of innovation and experimentation.

Steel or metal fabrication is a broad specialization. Technically, it is not a trade which regular welding companies or contractors can fulfill. It involves not just one or two but multiple operations that requires precision and expertise. It applies processes with high complexity to create value-added products essential to mining, energy, automotive, construction, medical, transportation, food, and all other business industries that exists.

Shortlisting and finally choosing the best candidate for a steel fabrication job is crucial as far as successful project completion is concerned. This is because successful completion does not only mean finishing a project on time, it follows accomplishing a project safely within schedule, within budget, and compliant to specified quality and standards.

Luckily, ESC got you covered and here’s why you should not just consider but rely on us.

FABRICATION CAPABILITIES

With a global capability of producing over 300,000 metric tons per year of steel products and structures at various locations and sites around the world, ESC provides one-stop solutions for projects of all scales and requirements. We employ not just state-of-the-art equipment and machineries but the most skilled and qualified labor assets that gets them into work. Below is a showcase of some of the capabilities of ESC’s prequalified mills:

• Machining, Cutting & Drilling
• Welding
• Press Brake Forming
• Pipe Forming
• Blasting, Coating & Galvanizing
• Testing (Material, Weld, Coating, Dimensional)

In terms of structure types:

• Bridge Structures
• Pre-Engineered/ Prefabricated Steel Buildings
• Offshore Steel Structures
• Building & Construction Structures
• Mining and Excavation Equipment and Structures
• Prefab Components – Rail & Transport
• Material Handling  Equipment
• Pressure Vessels
• Marine Structures
• Foundation Solutions

One of the criteria that qualifies a metal fabricator is its capability to design and formulate engineering solutions for different project specifics. A metal fabricator should be able to work with drawings, translate drawings and specifications to shop drawings, and design a project from scratch if necessary including undertaking field investigation works.

ESC Engineers are from a wide range of backgrounds, including aerospace, mechanical, civil, offshore oil & gas, nuclear, renewables and more. ESC’s engineering skill sets includes:

1. Engineering Calculations
2. 2D and 3D CAD drawings
3. Design Software such as Finite Element Analysis
4. 3D visualization and animation
5. Material Engineering including Quality Tests

When combined, ESC fabrication facilities and logistics assets sums up to the following statistical figures:

• 300,000 mT Annual fabrication capacity in total more than 15 factories
• 5,381,955 ft2 (500,000 m2) covered fabrication working shop areas
• 1,076,391 ft2 (100,000 m2) covered blasting and painting working shop
• 21,527,821 ft2 (2,000,000 m2) open yard area in total more than 15 factories
• 800T gantry crane
• 2500 mT lifting capacity of floating crane
• 1800 mT per work piece can be handled and load vessel directly
• 328.084 ft (>100 m) long work piece can be handled and load vessel directly
• 26,247 ft (8000 m) waterfront shoreline with more than 20 berths for international vessels.

EXPERIENCE

With ESC’s well-established facilities in United Arab Emirates and China, and its vast global sales and logistics network, the Company has been providing structural steel fabrications around the world for more than 30 years. Our track record in different continents and regions demonstrates a hard-earned success and recognition as characterized by a wide variety of project types and magnitudes – from small components to large structures. Some of our accomplishments are as follows:

• 4 Steel Bridges (Papua New Guinea)
• Coated Steel Girders for 12 Bridges (New West Britain)
• SP Brewery Prefab Steel Building (Papua New Guinea)
• Hinkley Point C – Temporary Jetty Steel Piles (United Kingdom)
• Tug Harbor Pontoons (Australia)
• Modular Transport Beams (United Kingdom)
• Al Ittihad Road Footbridge (United Arab Emirates)
• RAAF aircraft Hangar (Australia)
• TWR Control Tower (Australia)
• 2 sets Access Chamber for Rondout Tunnel (New Yok, USA)
• Mare Harbor Upgrades (Falklands)
• Greensport Terminal (USA)
• Islington Warehouse (Australia)
• International Container Terminal (Philippines)
• Bridge Spuds & Ornamental Steel Structures (Philippines)

Others:

• Hundreds of Marine Projects in Asia, Africa, North & South America, Europe, Australia, and even in the Antarctic Region. It includes Harbors, Jetties, Shipyards, Docks/Berths, Quay Walls, Seawater Intakes, Oil & Gas Platforms, Underwater Pipelines, Offshore Structures, Water Channels, Flood Control Projects, and many more.
• Hundreds of other types of structural steel fabrication projects involving Foundation Solutions, Cofferdams, Earth-retaining Systems, Reclamation Projects, Tunneling Systems, Sewerage & Drainage Systems, Tanks, Excavation Support Systems, Strutting Systems, Bridges, and many more.
• Hundreds of global projects utilizing fabricated materials such as sheet piles, pipe piles, combi-walls, trench sheets, trench shields or trench boxes, marine bollards, marine fenders, tie-rods & connectors, struts, and so many more.
• ESC’s complete list of projects can be viewed at www.escglobalgroup.com/project

STANDARDIZATION/CONSISTENCY/QUALITY

ESC and its prequalified factories offer a diversified set of international certifications enabling it to undertake complex projects around the world in adherence to country and/or region specific standards. The certifications cover special fabrication, welding, testing, quality management systems and corrosion protection systems.

Company Certifications:

• American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
• Europian Union (CE)
• EN 1090
• ISO 9001, 14001, OHSAS 18001
• American Welding Society (AWS)
• China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)
• American Petroleum Institute (API)
• ASTM International
• ISO 3834
• Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB)
• Australian Certification for Reinforcing Steel (ACRS)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• International Zinc Association (ZINC)

Personnel Certifications:

• Personnel Certifications:
• American Welding Society (AWS)
• American Society for Quality (ASQ)
• American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT)
• Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES)
• International Institute of Welding (IIW)
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers
• LEAN Six Sigma
• Project Management Professional
• Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
• NACE International
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers

Company Memberships:

• ASTM International
• North American Excavation and Shoring Association (NAXSA)
• National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA)
• World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC)
• Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
• Deep Foundations Institute (DFI)

ESC products are produced and designed in accordance with the latest international standards (ASTM, AS/NZ, BS EN, DIN and more) as well as ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

ESC’s global network is well positioned to serve its customers with a group of strategically located offices in more than 20 countries in the following regions:

• Asia & Middle East
• Australia & Oceania
• Africa
• Canada & USA
• South America
• North America
• Europe

We offer clients a dedicated project engineer for every work order, who is the focal point for communication and technical queries. This make project management more seamless and hassle-free to the client. We understand the need to interact closely with contractors, design consultants, owners and other project stakeholders.

ESC’s proximity and complete list of offices can be found at www.escglobalgroup.com/contacts.

PRICING

Prices differs from fabricator to fabricator, obtaining quotations from many providers and comparing the provisions in details is always an advantage in understanding the real extent of the project. The best metal fabricator for a specific job won’t necessarily have the lowest price or the biggest name in the business, there are parameters to look at instead when comes to identifying a company that can provide competitive proposals or prices:

• Proposal adapts to available budget and comes up with a sound, practical solution without sacrificing any of the project essentials.
• The fabricator has wide influence and material purchasing power
• Knows standard and realistic prices 
• within the industry
• Can devise and explain the most cost-effective approach for all kinds of projects
• Has complete control of shipping and logistic operations including costs

ESC’s reputation is built on excellence and commitment in providing high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. We are capable of providing competitive prices by adhering to engineering innovations and advance technologies that enhances safety and product quality, reduces unnecessary operational costs, and creates added value to our products and services.

TO WRAP IT UP

The purpose of planning and scheduling is to eliminate or reduce possible risks that may occur in the implementation stage. In any case, selecting a company which has the experience with your type of project is a smart decision

This is simply because a well-experienced company is always a step ahead among others in identifying, avoiding, or dealing with implementation surprises and turnarounds which can be really painful and costly.

At ESC, we don’t say we are the best. But we say WE’VE BEEN HERE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND WE KNOW HOW IT IS DONE.

Please don’t hesitate to reach us at our office nearest to you. At ESC, we say “YES” and “NO” with CONFIDENCE.