Which Industries Hire Welders and Technicians?
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Several industries hire welders and technicians, and each one asks for a different mix of trades. A chemical plant needs pipe welders and boilermakers, a food factory needs stainless steel and clean joints, and a machinery maker needs fitters and maintenance technicians. This article goes through the industries where this work is done in Spain and Portugal and what each one tends to need, so that you can specify the right people.
Chemical, petrochemical and process plants
These plants are built around pressure equipment and pipework: vessels, heat exchangers, tanks and long runs of process pipe in carbon steel and stainless steel. The trades that matter are pipe welders, boilermakers and pipe fitters, working to a design code and with non-destructive testing of the welds.
Most of the work comes at two moments: building or extending the plant, and the planned stops, called shutdowns or turnarounds, when equipment is opened, inspected and repaired.
Food, drink and other hygienic processes
Food and drink plants use stainless steel for pipework, tanks and process equipment, because it resists corrosion and can be cleaned. The welding is mostly TIG, and the finish of the joint matters as much as its strength, since a rough internal weld can hold residue.
Energy
Power plants, heat networks and renewable energy projects use all the trades: structural steelwork for supports and platforms, pipework for steam, water and fluids, and welders to join it. Maintenance is continuous, and many jobs are scheduled around the time the plant can be taken out of service.
Automotive and machinery manufacturing
Production lines need fitters and maintenance technicians to keep them running, and welders to build fixtures, frames and guards, and to modify the line when a product changes. The work is often done in short windows, between production runs.
Metals, cement and other heavy industry
Heavy industry wears out its equipment. Plate repairs, replacement of worn sections, structural steel and mechanical maintenance are routine, and a plant often needs extra hands for a few weeks rather than a permanent increase in staff.
Water, waste and environmental plants
Treatment plants have tanks, pipework and equipment that stand in a corrosive environment, usually in stainless steel or protected carbon steel. They need pipe fitters, welders and maintenance technicians, both when the plant is built and for repairs later.
Industrial buildings and logistics
New warehouses, factories and extensions need structural steelwork, platforms, stairs and equipment supports. Here the trade is steel fabrication and erection, followed by the welding that goes with them.
What the industries have in common
They all need specific trades for a limited time, and they all get better results when the request is precise. Whatever the industry, state the trade, the process, the material, the thickness and the standard the work follows, and ask for the welder’s qualification in the name of each person.
If your plant is in Spain or Portugal and you need welders, boilermakers, pipe fitters or maintenance technicians, tell us about the job. You can also read how we work with industrial maintenance and welding contractors.