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TSS Engineering: Four Years in Business Delivers Mega Projects
In 2017, a boilermaker and a welder consolidated their experience and formally established Total Steel Solutions (TSS) Engineering. With two colleagues coming on board a short time later, it wasn’t long before TSS Engineering started winning major contracts in the civil infrastructure space. Today, the four directors work with TSS Engineering’s 35 staff members across a 1,800m2 workshop in New South Wales. The company recently completed certification to AS/NZS ISO 3834 Part 2 Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials – a sign of their ongoing commitment to continuous growth.
TSS Engineering was founded on three core principles: respect, complete, and strive. Today, the company’s staff use those underlying principles to guide their work on complex, high value projects.
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Michael Shim (TSS Engineering’s General Manager) said the company has grown beyond the directors’ expectations over its first four years of operations. “We started small but we’re fast growing and hungry for more. I believe our attitude to provide high class service to client satisfaction has led us to this achievement in a relatively short time.”
“We believe diligence has been the key in gaining a good reputation for the company and continuous project involvement. We’ve put lots of effort in our tender submission for client’s interest then focused on successful project delivery. We constantly review our business strategy and review our business model for the company’s direction and future goals,” Shim said.
The TSS Engineering Quality, Environment, and Health and Safety Management System (QEHS) underpins the staff’s health and safety objectives. To date, the company is yet to experience a workplace injury of any kind.
“Whether they are one of our hardworking employees on site, or our office-based staff who ensure our business is running efficiently – everyone is part of the team. Our main focus right from the beginning has been to build up the foundations of the business, which we are still doing. Reputation is first then profit,” Shim said.
TSS Engineering initially started developing simple beam structures for retaining walls. However, the company’s burst of success has led to more complex works being contracted and undertaken.
Shim explained there is scope for further expansion as the company grows.
“While we are yet to land on any specialty areas, we would really like to get involved in the mining sector and water infrastructure. Ideally, we would like to be recognised as a multiplayer that is not just limited to civil infrastructure works.”
TSS Engineering’s Major Project Winner TSS Engineering has secured a pivotal role in the development of Australia’s largest road infrastructure project – a 33km stretch of road that will transform Sydney’s underground motorway.
“The first project that we got ourselves involved in started back in January 2019 with the WestConnex M4-M5 Link Tunnels,” Shim said.
The M4-M5 Link Tunnels consist of twin 7.5km four-lane tunnels linking the New M4 tunnels at Haberfield to the New M5 motorway at St Peters. This link will create a western bypass of the CBD, which will allow the full benefits of WestConnex to be realised. By easing congestion, connecting communities, and delivering more than 10,000 jobs directly and indirectly, the new motorway will provide crucial support for Sydney’s long-term economic and population growth.
“At the beginning, we visited many project sites and people by door knocking to project teams. Our effort was noticed, and we got lucky to become one of the first metal fabrication companies to get a major contract on that project. Since then, we have been winning one after another, and delivering those projects successfully.”
“We are proud to be part of the multi-billion-dollar scale projects, contributing to government funded projects for the benefit of New South Wales citizens. However not limiting our business fields in government project only, we are definitely open to any new opportunities in wider industry areas,” Shim said.
TSS Engineering offers fabrication, welding, installation, and labour hire services. All works come out of a single fabrication facility and workshop in New South Wales.
“We started off in a small, rented fabrication workshop then relocated to a larger facility with workable area around 1,200m2 with an overhead ten-tonne crane. Then around six months ago we expanded our facility with a further 600m2 and another ten-tonne crane,” Shim explained.
The larger workspace has allowed TSS Engineering to engage a series of high-level clients, including BOC Gas, Tooheys Brewery and WestConnex. They also work closely with the State Government and local municipalities like the City of Ryde, Campbelltown City Council and Northern Beaches Council. “We also provide a complete design, manufacture, installation and commissioning service to our clients. This is important when clients are seeking a ‘one-stop’ solution to their project, requiring a single contractor delivering all,” Shim said.
Image (Far Left): Since 2017, TSS Engineering have expanded their expertise across several large-scale projects. Image (Left): Sydney’s WestConnex M4-M5 Link Tunnel. Bolstered Capabilities with Recent Certification In line with TSS Engineering’s rapid growth, the company recently gained certification to AS/NZS ISO 3834 Part 2 Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. This certification focuses on the quality requirements expected for fusion welded products globally. It is crucial for welding personnel’s technical knowledge and can lead to increased company profitability on a global scale.
Additionally, Transport for NSW lays out unique construction categories and accreditation that are required to operate on metalworks that are undertaken across the state.
The AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification was a prerequisite for the Transport for NSW Steel Fabrication to Construction Category 2 Certificate, which TSS Engineering needed before beginning work on the WestConnex tunnel project.
“We conducted some research and found out that AS/NZS ISO 3834 was a prerequisite to even apply for the Transport for NSW accreditation,” Shim said.
Shim explained that the two-step process was rather seamless for TSS Engineering’s welding personnel. “We approached Weld Australia who conducted the audit and granted us the AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification. Once we achieved that, we were able to move onto the Transport for NSW accreditation application for metalworks, which we have successfully completed since,” he said.
Shim also offered advice to other companies who are considering an AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification.
“Go for it! You will be surprised at how many people in the construction industry recognise AS/NZS ISO 3834. When we are dealing with suppliers, or buying welding consumables, or dealing with other companies, or most importantly new clients… by mentioning that TSS Engineering has an AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification, then that assures them that we are a recognised and capable company. In that regard, AS/NZS ISO 3834 is a good tool for us to demonstrate our ongoing capabilities,” said Shim.
