Appellation Pre Fab LLC
Of all of the lessons William Lee Emick learned over his 30 years working his way up in the construction industry, there is one that has made perhaps the biggest difference. “That lesson is never forget who is in the field day after day carrying your company name,” says Emick, CEO and owner of Appellation Pre Fab LLC (APF).
APF’s staff of experienced craftsmen is the main reason the company has grown to become a leading pipe fabricator and installer within the Marcellus Shale play in a short period of time. The company, founded in 2009, offers services including grit blasting and painting, pipeline installation, compressor station installation, meter station installation, engineering, general construction and shop and field services.
The Montoursville, Pa.-based company reported $4 million in sales following its inaugural year and $20 million after its second, Emick says.
“Our increasing amount of work is derived from the highly skilled craftsmen we employ,” he adds. “Our employees are highly motivated construction-minded individuals who know the oil and gas industries’ needs of producing a superior product at a reasonable cost.”
This skill level is necessary within the Marcellus Shale, which Emick likens to the nuclear power industry in terms of the level of quality needed on piping projects because of the potential for failures and piping system ruptures.
“Without highly skilled professionals working on our projects, APF would not be able to maintain the quality and quantity of work required by the oil and gas industry,” Emick says. “APF controls the size and scope of our projects through experienced analysis of workmanship and quality; we will not take on projects beyond our capabilities of producing and managing the highest quality of craftsmanship.”
APF’s regular customers include Anadarko, Chief Oil & Gas, Cabot Oil & Gas, Talisman Energy, Williams, Inergy, Dominion Transmission, National Fuel and NYSEG.
Quality Guaranteed
Appellation Pre Fab’s main shop features 30,000 square feet of indoor fabricating room and 25,000 square feet of outside lay-down fabricating space. A second, 58,000-square-foot facility features fabricating, full grit blasting and painting capabilities. The company can fabricate piping between 2 and 42 inches for meter/valve stations, compressor and pump stations and receivers/launchers.
The company’s fabrication process is in full conformance with customer requirements. “We are dedicated to being the only company in the industry with 100 percent x-ray quality backed by a 100 percent guarantee,” the company says. “Our welders are held to strict quality control standards to guarantee that superior quality.”
APF is also proud of its status as a union workplace, and works with United Association-related unions on training and development of employees. “All our employees must go through an extensive training program and most importantly pass a written safety exam, making safety our number one priority,” the company says.
The fabrication shop is manned by the Local 520 Plumbers and Steamfitters Union based in Harrisburg, Pa. Field crews are manned by international and local pipeliners, pipefitters and operators unions. Owners choose project managers, superintendents and foremen for jobs based on their previous experience with them, the company notes.
The majority of APF’s workforce is drawn from its home state. “Our vision for the future is to continue growing at a steady pace in the Marcellus marketplace and create more job opportunities which in turn will help fuel Pennsylvania’s economy,” Emick says.