Purposeful culture. Defined growth strategy. Clear operational expectations. Leading safety programs imbedded in culture. Defined human capital strategy. Sophisticated training practices. Engaged workforce. World-class facilities. Distributed geographic footprint. Advanced customer service protocols. Committed “hands-on” leadership. Disciplined performance focus.
These form the foundation of a dynamic, growing, customer-centered company doing it right and safely. Welcome to Apache Industrial Services.
Apache Industrial Services has quietly built a reputation for doing what it promises, when it promises, exactly how it promises. Its story has been one of determined success, job by job. Its safety record continues to be among the best in the industry while its man-hours grow exponentially.
Yet, with all its accomplishment and continued growth, the best is still ahead for the company with an obsession for doing it right — inside and outside the organization.
At the heart of Apache’s success lies its unwavering commitment to people. From its inception, the company made a decision it would be forever defined and differentiated by the craftsmen who are its workforce and who exhibit Apache Pride daily. The leadership’s belief in people and their very visible demonstration of their commitments through the company’s purposeful culture, personal safety initiatives, investment in training and world-class training facilities, as well as through forward-thinking human capital practices, has allowed the company to deliver on its promises to its people and its customers each and every time. In many ways, the commitment to continually invest and reinvest in its people is the hallmark of Apache. As CEO, Mike Knigin leads virtually every presentation with, “The assets of Apache walk in and out the door every day. They are not attached to the shop floor.” He continued, “It is for them that we are committed to doing it right. It is what keeps them engaged, safe and performing at the highest levels in the industry for those they serve.”
Leading from the front
Apache’s work ethic and ethos are defined and exhibited by its leaders, regardless of where they operate. Apache is and always will be a service business, and thus, “Success is 100 percent about our people, our craftsmen.” It is common for the company’s leaders to be on a jobsite working with and interfacing with not only the customer but also their employees to ensure they are part of the solution. And the leaders are there not when it is convenient for them but because it is necessary for the job to get done right, even on weekends.
But, to the leaders, it also means establishing a work environment where craftsmen are comfortable to learn and grow and refine their trade. Knigin continued, “It is our strong belief that if we create a place where craftsmen want to be — if we are the employer of choice in the marketplace — the rest will take care of itself. To do this, people need to be able to make a difference — to feel and be part of something. They cannot be marginalized or made to feel like a number. Ever.”
The company employs men and women of character who have an interest in making a positive impact. They are searching for people who do not want to simply be compliant but rather committed to the Apache Way of working and interacting. The Apache craftsmen are each empowered to take ownership of their actions and to be leaders in whatever task they are asked to complete. And that is why Apache invested in the construction of the largest, most advanced, totally dedicated craft training center in the U.S.
The training center is a vital part of the company’s mission to be regarded as the leader in providing qualification, training and retention of its people. In addition to traditional classroom-style learning, written evaluations and training, Apache will perform pre-job field performance assessments and training at the facility for all crafts, including scaffolding and insulation. This means the Apache worker has the technical skills, safety background and practice necessary before he or she ever steps out onto a jobsite. Apache will know the craftsman on the job is the right craftsman for the right job. It also provides both the craftsmen and the customer with the confidence the worker is prepared and skilled to complete the job function as required. In short, there is no practice on the job.
Additionally, Apache will administer comprehensive safety and skills training at the facility on a regular and scheduled basis. Apache will collaborate with a number of technical organizations at the training center, including NCCER, NACE, SIA, OSHA, HASC and others. More than certifications, extra learning and skill refinement, the training center provides the link for the employee to become infused into the culture and to become immersed in “Apache Pride.”
The largest of its kind
As craftsmen walk outside of the training complex, they experience what many believe is the first and largest shop facility in the hemisphere, if not the world. As the leadership drives across the complex, they explain the size is not the story; rather the commitment to doing it right is why they have created this facility.
In its first full year of operation, Apache’s new Houston Operations Center on its 125-acre campus features:
- 20 independent climate-controlled work spaces.
- Blast booth, roto-blast machine and exterior blast area.
- Two paint booths with state-of-the-art air handling systems.
- Over 30 acres of laydown and equipment storage.
- Significant investment in material handling equipment.
- Each of the 20 production bays are 150 square feet by 80 square feet.
- Compressed air connections have been run to each bay to increase craftsmen productivity.
On this campus sits the largest shop coating, fireproofing and thermal spray aluminum capability in the Gulf Coast. Customers send Apache over 3,000 truckloads of equipment, piping, structure, plate, vessels, handrails, etc. on an annual basis — over 60,000 tons of steel and millions of square feet of surface area. Doing so allows for reduced costs for customers due to shop application costs generally being 20 percent to 30 percent of field-applied costs. Work that takes place in the shop also eliminates disruptions of other crafts and scheduling issues that typically occur on the jobsite.
“This new facility represents as much a commitment to our employees as it does our customers,” said Scott Thibodeaux, president, Apache Industrial Services. “We have the ability to deliver an uncommon level of service for our customers due to the amenities and accommodations that we now have before us.” The campus not only greatly improves the quality of the work product, but it greatly improves the company’s ability to emphasize and drive safe work behaviors at all times. Additionally, it allows customers to leverage Apache’s shop application/installation expertise to reduce field-related cost and risk.
And with 300,000 square feet of production warehouse space with room for expansion, customers can be confident Apache will deliver when it needs to most.
A proven track record
While the individual craftsmen are the backbone of the operation and ambassadors to the Apache Industrial Services brand, they are supported by an infrastructure, a network and a host of resources that allows them to get the job done right.
Service line by service line, Apache is getting recognized:
- In the scaffolding division, all equipment is less than six years old with an average service time of two years. And the sheer scale of the scaffolding inventory has allowed Apache to offer some of the best material availability in the industry.
- As the largest intumescent epoxy applicator in this hemisphere, Apache has made a name for itself as one of the largest passive fire protection applicators in the U.S.
- By having one of the largest paint workshops in the country located at the Houston Operations Center, Apache has the ability to service more than 3,000 truckloads of equipment each year — the equivalent of more than 60,000 tons of steel.
Whether the job entails refractory work or insulation, metallizing or safety management, Apache has the expertise and track record. And the company has a demonstrated commitment to doing it the right way — the Apache Way.
The numbers that matter
Some may ask why the company goes to such extremes for its people. The answer is in the work — specifically the safe completion of work, task by task. Safety has been and will always be core to how Apache does business.
While Apache’s man-hours have increased year over year, the safety statistics remain extremely low. In fact, Apache’s total man-hours during the past five years have exceeded 15 million with an average TRIR below 0.20. This is but one result of a committed culture of safety, but the work is never finished. Apache’s incident target is zero, and the company continues to make great strides, year after year, toward this ambitious but attainable goal.
Reaching zero is attainable, but how does Apache drive success with safety? It begins with hiring only those craftsmen who exhibit the behaviors Apache expects on a worksite. These behavioral expectations are established before the job, not on the job, and then are reinforced with routine training and development through Apache’s craft training center. From there, safety is addressed at every level within the organization.
Apache employees are empowered to work safely on every task, every time, and there is an expectation every Apache takes pride in his or her work. In fact, Apaches are trained it is their “signature” that goes on each job, so every employee must own his or her work and be prepared to defend the quality of their efforts.
Craftsmen are required to “make it personal” with regard to safe work practices and participate in creating a Personal Safety Plan that is carried with the employee at all times. The Personal Safety Plan serves as a constant reminder to always keep safety top of mind and to motivate employees to look out for fellow employees’ safety.
Finally, doing it right also means being recognized as an “A” rated contractor with ISNetworld, Browz, PICS and other related industry organizations. The company’s peers consistently recognize this commitment to safety, and its customers have come to rely on the Apache Way of delivering safe and quality work.
Planning with purpose
At Apache, culture is never taken for granted. It is purposeful, and it is fiercely protected.
Even as the company grows its services and footprint, the company works in defined ways to ensure its culture and way of working never change. With new offices in Mobile, Alabama, and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as acquisitions over the past years of Gulf Coast Gunite and Industrial Gunite on the Gulf Coast, and Stark Sandblasting in the Midwest, Apache has expanded its capabilities with like-minded companies that are committed to Apache’s values and commitment to safety. The pride they exhibit is real.
“Apache pride is something our customers feel and see every day when they work with Apache,” said Knigin. “We believe this ethos is a direct value driver for our customers.”
Part of building a culture of performance entails protecting what works and doing everything possible to preserve the integrity of what has been built prior to adding new ways of thinking and doing. Apache will continue to build on its growing reputation in the areas it serves but will do so strategically and with purpose.
Through its work and record of safety, Apache continues to make a statement. But it is the actions of Apache’s craftsmen that speak the loudest and most clearly define and differentiate a company doing it right.
For more information on Apache Industrial Services, call Mike Knigin or Scott Thibodeaux at (713) 450-9307 or visit www.apacheip.com.
