Investment and innovation – Berg Steel Pipe
Local pipe manufacturing company with worldwide impact.
Berg Steel Pipe Corp. is one of the largest manufacturers of pipeline for the oil and natural gas industry with a local production facility and corporate offices in Panama City. The Corporation has three locations nationwide and has established itself as the number one supplier of deep water pipelines in North America. The company completed their technology upgrades in 2013 and hosted a customer appreciation event in November 2013. Customers and partners toured the local manufacturing plant with focus on BSPC’s improved technologies and equipment. The three day event highlighted Bay County’s beautiful outdoors where guests of BSPC were invited to deep sea fishing trips in the Gulf of Mexico and golfing at Camp Creek and Sharks Tooth Golf Club. A formal reception and dinner was held at Bay Point Wyndham Resort on the first evening with a casual fish fry and blue grass band on the second evening. The technical program consisted of various presentations and mill tours. The event showcased both, BSPC’s innovative technology and the best Bay County has to offer. 110 representatives from pipeline operators to oil production companies and their suppliers participated in the event which brought international attention to Bay County.
Ingo Riemer, CEO of Berg Steel Pipe Corp. states: “Our goal was to present our technical upgrades which we conducted during the past 2 years – we invested more than $30 million in new equipment at the Panama City mill . With our highly developed technologies, Berg is the partner of first choice for all major pipeline demands.”
The company employs 285 people at their Panama City, Florida location. Another manufacturing hub is located in Mobile, Alabama with 214 employees. With a 6 person sales team in Houston,Texas.
Ingo Riemer explains the quality of the product and the manufacturing process: “Steel pipes for high pressure oil and gas pipelines are high-tech products that require a lot of innovation, relentless optimization, and development. From the research with our partners in the steel industry to select the best chemistry/properties for the steel plates used to form the pipes; then to the manufacturing equipment and the manufacturing process optimization; lastly to how the final product is delivered to the customer in our global market; it is an elaborate orchestration of activity for what can be considered a very simple product.”
Panama City Living in a recent interview with Mr. Riemer, CEO of Berg Steel Pipe:
PCL: What are BSPC’s goals for the future?
Ingo Riemer: Maintain our market position and reputation as the #1 quality supplier in North America in order to secure jobs and be profitable. Our philosophy is “Integrity Beyond Compliance.” Pipeline operation is a serious business with high safety concerns and requirements where reliability, quality, and integrity are of the essence. None of our customers (pipeline operators) want to be on the front page because of a pipeline blow up. There has been a huge number of catastrophic pipeline failures in the past years, mainly due to the aging oil and gas pipeline grid in the US (majority of the pipelines were built in the 1950s and 60s before stringent regulations were implemented).
PCL: Are you planning on growing jobs in your Bay County facility?
Ingo Riemer: Our first priority is to our employees and keeping the mills active so we can keep them working. Our goal is to maintain a two shift operation. An aging workforce continuously requires new hires. We are constantly looking for candidates with a technical background.
PCL: What type jobs will you offer in the future?
Ingo Riemer: We will team up with the local colleges (GCSC and FSU- PC) to help us market ourselves to potential future employees. We finance scholarships for our employees, including their dependents. Berg is an attractive employer of choice. A low HR turnover rate is the best proof! This is not only due to an attractive financial package; we offer a company culture that is based on trust, respect and team work. Only an attractive work environment motivates for individual performance! It’s unfortunate the technical profession does not have a good reputation in young people’s view. Our economy is booming, especially in the energy sector and related industries like ours. To choose a technical education is a guaranteed job!”
Photos by Scott Pittman