About

Heavy Industrial Construction, Nationwide, from A to Z

We began our journey delivering successful industrial construction and prefabrication projects in 1949. Since then, we’ve grown from four individuals, who saw a need for quality mechanical contractors in central Wisconsin, to become a nationwide provider of heavy industrial construction and prefabrication services.  

Our name was inspired by our goal: to be the top supplier of construction services from A to Z. That theme is the heart of our integrated approach to every project. Self-performing most of our work means we minimize the number of subcontractors. This reduces the risk of substandard workmanship and helps avoid scheduling conflicts that can interfere with a client’s critical project timing and budget.  

Today, AZCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Burns & McDonnell. We are 100% employee-owned and have over 1,000 experienced union craft workers across the country. 

Safety

Project Controls

Quality Assurance

Safety

Safety is a core principle ingrained in our culture, from our corporate leadership and office personnel to our project site teams and subcontractors. We have the experience and knowledge to avoid, anticipate and mitigate the unique safety challenges that may arise on any project.

The goal of our ongoing safety and health program is zero incidents on all job sites. Everyone, from upper management to the apprentice in the field, receives critical training that puts the focus on thinking about safety from the start of every activity and project. The program includes training for all AZCO management and teams, surrounding core components such as personal protective equipment provision and fit, equipment use, on-site procedures, reporting, and commitment to the belief that accidents are preventable.

It is our intrinsic expectation that everyone working on our projects — our clients, our people and our subcontractors — returns home safe to their families every night. Executing with safety and construction in mind from the start leads to a project that is cost-effective and schedule-oriented.

Project Controls

Reaching project cost and schedule goals requires the implementation of effective and efficient project controls. Our project controls team applies conscientious planning, execution and continuous monitoring of cost, schedule, material quantities and craft performance to achieve success throughout the project life cycle.

A three-pronged approach to project controls supports the team’s decision-making process:

  • Cost control and analysis.Cost controls begin with a detailed budget and a baseline schedule, along with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the project scope. Our project controls help the team detect budget deviations and trends so that corrective action can be taken to avoid or mitigate cost overruns.

  • Progress and performance. Labor planning, scope control and earned value-based progress measurement establish critical project baselines. These critical factors establish starting points and goals for defined metrics that are used to determine a project’s progress toward success. Our teams monitor plans and budgets through indices that contribute to more accurate progress measurement and forecasts.

  • Planning and scheduling. Our project controls team begins with a baseline schedule based on an interactive planning session and integration of project milestones. Once the baseline schedule is locked in, the team uses it to measure ongoing project progress. Engineering and procurement activities are intrinsic to our process, incorporating increasing levels of detail as construction progresses. This construction-driven scheduling approach is founded in systematic implementation of the project plan and balancing the cost, time and quality.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance demands that we go far beyond basic weld inspection. We are committed to customer satisfaction, striving for continuous improvement in construction processes, methods and materials. We aim to extend equipment life expectancy and expand comprehensive safety and reliability.  

Quality Assurance Training & Inspection

Our craft employees in the field are trained via a formal process before beginning work. Inspectors are qualified as AWS Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs), and we develop detailed inspection and testing plans for both prefabrication and installation projects. 

The members of our cohesive QA team have diverse areas of experience, bringing qualified perspectives to each project to cover critical areas to be reviewed, including welding, metallurgy, metrology, nondestructive testing, and inspection. Ongoing training and certification activities establish a solid path forward for the projects we build. 

Certificates

Our quality assurance programs begin and end with understanding customer needs through reliable execution and application of required codes and standards. Our three quality programs are in place to demonstrate our commitment and deliver at the highest level. Among our certifications:

  • ASME Section 1 Quality Program. Certificates include A, S, PP, U and R, renewed every three years. 
  • ASME Non-Section 1 Quality Program. Non-boiler external piping ASME B31.1, B31.3, B31.8, structural steel and more. 
  • API Quality Program. Fabrication and installation of pipelines and related facilities.  
  • AISC Certified Advanced Erector — Structural Steel 
  • AISC Certified Fabricator and Metal Component Manufacturer 

Certifications

ASME-A

American Society of Mechanical Engineers — A

ASME-PP

American Society of Mechanical Engineers — PP

ASME-S

American Society of Mechanical Engineers — S

ASME-U

American Society of Mechanical Engineers — U

NBIC-R

National Board Inspection Code — R — Repair Organizations

AISC

American Institute of Steel Construction — Certified Advanced Erector — Structural Steel

AISC

American Institute of Steel Construction — Certified Fabricator and Metal Component Manufacturer