BROWNSVILLE, Texas—Tuesday, December 3, 2019— Welding Works International, Inc. has been named the Port of Brownsville 2019 Chairman’s Award honoree in recognition of the company’s 20-plus years of setting a high standard in safety training and providing ongoing contributions to the well-being of the Rio Grande Valley community.
Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed presented the award to Welding Works President Alfredo de la Fuente at the Customer Appreciation Luncheon event held on December 3. The event was attended by more than 200 guests, including port tenants, business leaders and local, regional and state public officials.
“Welding Works International is a homegrown success story that is well-known for supporting a range of services to South Texas,” said Reed. “With large scale-industrial projects expected to kick-off at the port, specialized construction skills will be at a premium. Such skills are what distinguish the 2019 winner of the Chairman’s award.”
Welding Works International, Inc. was established in 1998 at the Port of Brownsville, originally as an affiliate company of A.D. Welding Services Inc. Since then, the company has grown from 20 employees to a team of more than 200, many of which are imbedded at Keppel AmFELS where they manufacture ships, oil platforms and rigs. They provide skilled and semi-skilled welding and related services to a range of clients.
“The foundation of Welding Works International has been built around our strong commitment to our workforce, their safety and development, and the high-quality work ethic needed to get the job done,” said de la Fuente. “This award is a representation of the tireless effort our employees put in on a daily basis. I would like to thank the BND Commission and the port community for all their support over the years. We look forward to continuing our role in the growth of the port.”
The Chairman’s Award is an annual award highlighting the achievements of port tenants in the areas of business growth, leadership, job creation, customer service, innovation, safety, and community involvement.
About the Port of Brownsville
The Port of Brownsville is the only deepwater seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the largest land-owning public port authority in the nation with 40,000 acres of land. It transships more steel into Mexico than any other U.S. port. With more than $40 billion worth of projects currently in the works, the Port of Brownsville is transforming the Rio Grande Valley by creating positive investment opportunities and new good paying jobs.
From left to right: Ralph Cowen, Brownsville Navigation District Secretary; John Wood, Brownsville Navigation District Commissioner; Sergio Tito Lopez, Brownsville Navigation District Vice Chairman; Mary Treviño, Welding Works International, Inc. Executive Administrator; Alfredo de la Fuente, Welding Works International, Inc. President; Christina de la Fuente, Welding Works International, Inc. Manager; John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman; and Esteban Guerra, Brownsville Navigation District Commissioner.
