APPLETON, Wisconsin — AZCO has been awarded the Pipe Fabrication Institute’s (PFI) first-ever National Safety award. The recognition honors AZCO’s commitment to its safety performance on major industrial projects nationwide — setting a standard that elevates safety expectations across the pipe fabrication industry.
Founded in 1913, PFI is one of the nation’s most respected industry associations dedicated to advancing quality and performance in pipe fabrication. Its National Safety award was established to honor members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to safety, a distinction the AZCO pipe fabrication shop earned for its strong safety program. The award was presented to AZCO leadership during PFI’s Annual Health and Safety Committee meeting. What sets the physical award apart, moving forward, will be its continual reinvention. Each year, the outgoing recipient will design and fabricate the award that will be passed on to the next winner.
The PFI National Safety award is one of many AZCO has received from organizations over the years for maintaining a culture of safety that results in millions of workhours completed without recordable incidents. The company’s consistent recognition reflects a deep, organization-wide commitment to making sure every employee returns home safely each day.
AZCO’s 45,000-square-foot pipe fabrication shop has operated for more than seven consecutive years without a recordable safety incident.
“For decades, AZCO and PFI have helped shape the standards of this industry, so earning this recognition from such a longstanding organization is especially meaningful,” says Matthew Benner, AZCO fabrication department manager. “Safety in pipe fabrication requires precision, discipline, teamwork and a culture that never cuts corners. The PFI recognition affirms the safety systems we have in place and the dedication our people show every day to protecting one another in the construction craft.”
After a comprehensive review of three years of safety performance data from award finalists, AZCO stood out not only for its results, but for its multilayered safety program that focuses on proactive planning, extensive specialized training and continuous improvement.
AZCO leadership attributes the company’s safety success to a people-focused philosophy grounded in the belief that all injuries are preventable and zero incidents is an achievable feat. Through its AZCO Safety Academy, proactive site-risk identification initiatives, customized training and detailed, site specific safety plans, the company cultivates true safety proficiency rather than simple compliance. Additionally, open safety reporting and digital tools reinforce a shared safety responsibility and help inform real-time, on-site decision-making. This robust approach supports consistent, across-the-board safe work practices while strengthening long-term operational excellence.
“How we do what we do matters. Our uncompromising focus on safety lays the foundation for outstanding construction outcomes,” says Pete Warning, AZCO vice president of mechanical construction. “When people, processes and risks are managed deliberately and safely, project work becomes more predictable, quality improves and execution is more reliable, allowing us to deliver greater confidence and lasting value for our clients.”
About AZCO
AZCO is a heavy industrial construction and fabrication solutions provider building the critical infrastructure that keeps communities and industries thriving. Part of the Burns & McDonnell family of companies, we work with union craft labor across the country, using an integrated approach to deliver more advanced controls and predictable outcomes. Learn how we are designed to build at azco-inc.com.
