Weld Australia names winners at NSW, ACT Welding Excellence Awards

The winners of the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Welding Excellence Awards were announced in Sydney on Thursday night.

The awards at Rydges World Square in Sydney celebrated “both businesses and individuals who are making waves in welding through their dedication to quality, safety and innovation” said Geoff Crittenden, CEO of event organiser Weld Australia, in a statement.

“This year’s winners feature businesses and individuals committed to the pursuit of innovative, sustainable solutions that minimise risk and maximise project outcomes, as well as initiatives designed to increase the breadth and depth of skilled labour within the welding sector.”

A list of winners from the awards is reproduced below.

NWEC won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Fabrication. NWEC is a specialist in steel fabrication, painting, installation, construction management, and welding resource supply, with over 40 years of experience serving Australia’s petrochemical, mining, aviation, rail, road, gas and heavy industry sectors. 

IndigeFab won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Indigenous. IndigeFab is a progressive and proud 100% indigenous-owned and operated business, established in 2023, under parent company Absolutions Group. 

MC Quality Control won the 2024 Project of the Year Award for Glencore’s Colombian operations. MC Quality has worked with Glencore in Australia for nearly a decade. In this project, MC Quality audited a workshop with 500 employees and conducted welding inspections on new and in-service mining equipment – navigating language barriers and demanding environmental conditions to ensure quality and reliability in line with international standards.

APEX Welding Safety (AWS) won the 2024 Health and Safety in Welding Award. As a company that specialises in welding fume safety equipment, AWS’s goal is to raise awareness and education around the important issues that welders face. AWS played a major role in campaigning for the 2024 legislative change to the workplace exposure standard for welding fumes.

Kemppi won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Supplier. Kemppi is a leading multinational manufacturer and supplier of welding solutions, including the design, development and production of welding equipment, accessories, and safety gear as well as digital solutions and consulting and training services. 

Welding Quality Management Systems (WQMS) won the 2024 Training and Education – Organisation Award. Structural cracking and weld repair management experts WQMS worked with IBSA to create and develop the Cert IV level unit MEM05069 Perform Advanced Weld Repair and Maintenance to meet broad industry needs for an accredited VET unit for maintenance welding. 

The three winners of the 2024 Welding Professional of the Year Award were: Sungmook (Mac) Park from TSS Engineering for the Welding Coordinator category; Terry Morton from MC Quality for the Welding Inspector category; and Emil Dionisio from E&C Welding Inspection and Services for the Welding Supervisor category.

Holly Collins from Assure QC won the 2024 Young Trades Person of the Year category. Holly is a fully qualified tradesperson working in gas and power generation across NSW. A ticketed pressure TIG welder, she started out in the food industry where she fabricated and welded many stainless-steel components and piping, before moving into the hydrogen industry and then power generation. In her short time, Holly has already demonstrated commitment and dedication to the craft, overcoming challenges and working hard to get the job done – making her an inspiration to young women in the welding profession.

Chris Todd from Ventia was named the 2024 Trades Person of the Year. Chris started with Ventia as an apprentice in the project services workshop and has worked his way up to become the Leading Hand. He has played a key role in the delivery of multiple projects across both structural and piping, including the fabrication of a nearly 1000m 300NB bunker oil pipeline and 200-300NB high-pressure steam pipework to supply a turbo alternator. Chris also takes pride in passing on his knowledge to the next generation, training apprentices how to accurately align and check their fabrication prior to welding.

Francesco Prestia from TAFE NSW won the 2024 Training and Education – Individual Teacher Award. Francesco is Head Teacher of Metal Fabrication and Welding at TAFE NSW, overseeing six campuses in the Riverina. He coordinates and delivers the Certificate 3 in Engineering to over 100 apprentices, and Certificate 4 in Engineering to 30 students across the state using virtual classrooms and face to face delivery. Francesco is also passionate about offering pathways for school students into trade areas, with a focus on metals and manufacturing: this year alone, he has organised and taught eight programs introducing school students to trade careers.

Picture: credit Weld Australia

Further reading

Winners named at QLD and NT Welding Excellence Awards