Almost one year to the day, Tarpon’s Structures division signed a contract to build and install modular workforce accommodations for Suncor’s Firebag camp near Calgary. Now, almost 12 months later, the Structures team is gearing up to embark on the full production phase. “We have built two of the 54’ additions and one side of a wing that is 120’ long and two stories high,” says Iain Munro, Vice President, Structures. “We are also working on the corridors that connect the wings to the core building. I am excited to say that the first completed unit is scheduled for shipment in September.”

As Structures’ first contract of this nature, many production processes and project functions such as drafting, design and procurement required adjustments. With changes to customary procedures, employees were required to work with new protocols and contend with a steep learning curve. “Although the concept of a production line is not new to the industry, Structures has taken an innovative approach to manufacturing modular workforce accommodations using this assembly method,” says Munro. “We have two production lines at Structures; one inside the shop for the main parts of the wings and another in the yard for the supplementary stages - drywall, millwork etc. The rollers on the main platform allow each unit to be moved along the line to the next stage until they are ready for shipping.”

Structures’ modular design proves to be more efficient than many other workforce accommodations. “Because the camps are built locally, the time spent on-site is generally a lot less when the labour rate is at its highest,” notes Munro. “So, this approach saves both time and money.” Once fully-completed, each modular unit will be disassembled and placed on a flatbed trailer where they will spend an additional five days traveling to the Suncor Firebag Camp in Calgary.

Scheduled for completion in spring 2009, Structures’ Firebag Camps Project has made significant headway and with nine more wings to build, the team remains dedicated to exceeding our customers’ expectations.