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PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: The ‘One Anvil Concept’ keeps Alaska Anvil meeting high standards
Jessica Hess Petroleum Directory Contributing Writer
When selecting a jewel from the most durable of all minerals — the diamond — four Cs determine the quality of the gem. But clarity, color, carat, and cut don’t shed much illumination on the company behind the product. When it comes to precious resources of another sort — petroleum and natural gas — a service company can be measured by its consistency, cost-effectiveness, client-focused practices and capacity for excellence. Alaska Anvil excels in each of these four Cs and more. Consistency The Anchorage-based company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Anvil Corp., a heavy industrial design and engineering corporation with offices throughout the Western United States. Whether a service or product comes from Anvil Corp. offices in California, Montana, Anchorage or elsewhere, and whether it was produced years ago or currently, it will be consistent across the board in its specifications, methodology, procedures, and standards. No matter where you go, there is “One Anvil.”
Additionally, the safety record this company maintains has stayed astoundingly consistent for more than 4 million man hours. That’s how much work has been put in at Anvil Corp. without any lost-time incidents. Frank Weiss, the president and general manager of Alaska Anvil, clarifies how it is that such a record can be maintained. He says about safety that “at Anvil it’s a culture and each employee is instilled with the knowledge that it’s their behavior that is either safe or unsafe.” Cost-effectiveness When it comes down to dollars and cents, maintaining unwavering standards in products and behavior creates impressive benefits. “When we have standard methods and procedures we are more efficient in the way we conduct our business and execute the development of the products we deliver to a client,” Weiss asserts. “And when we’re more efficient and effective in our execution, the cost to our clients is, of course, reduced. They get a better product and they come to expect the same standard. That leads to a lot of our repeat business.”
Being an employee-owned company also factors in heavily with cost effectiveness. Approximately 60 percent of the company’s stock is owned by employees, the very people who directly influence whether the stock increases or decreases in value. With such a vested interest, employees assure that Alaska Anvil’s projects are completed efficiently and well. Client-focused practices Because a consistent and cost-effective product isn’t always enough, Alaska Anvil has the next base covered also. Indeed, this may be the most important characteristic offered — a focus on the client’s needs.
Weiss has worked for Anvil Corp. since 1986 and came to Alaska to rejuvenate and lead the Alaska Anvil office in 1988. His experience in the industry has given him perspective on how to leverage a client’s requirements. He points out that “each client is a little different. Our job is to come up on the learning curve of the way they execute their projects, and then bring our knowledge of project execution to help them put out a project that’s cost-effective and timely.”
A large investment goes into working at the level of client needs. “It takes a lot of time to foster, develop, and internalize that learning curve,” Weiss explains. “It’s a lot easier to keep a satisfied client than it is to go out and find a new one. We work hard to provide client satisfaction.”
That’s especially true as the industry shifts its focus and requirements. “The one thing we’re assured of is that we work in a dynamic environment where technology and facility requirements change from month to month and year to year,” Weiss acknowledges. Alaska Anvil has reflected the needs of its clients and anticipates doing so through any changes and developments that lie ahead.
Alaska Anvil has established a company-client interface that allows for clear communication throughout the entire process of bringing a project to fruition. Each client is linked to a client sponsor — a member of upper management who is responsible for follow-up and feedback to ensure client satisfaction. As Weiss detailed, “a client sponsor allows the client’s counterpart to our project engineers or program manager to go around them and go directly to upper management. They can ask the client sponsor to step in and help resolve any issues that might be standing in the way of successfully completing the project.”
The client sponsor is also charged with the contractual issues of a project, relieving weight otherwise laid on the program managers and project engineers. This permits those who work in the execution of a project to focus on other elements, such as work breakdown structure, schedule, cost and quality, without becoming bogged down in contract terminology, for instance.
Large clients with several projects orchestrated through Alaska Anvil are assigned a program manager, who administers the whole suite of client needs on a level that permits a big-picture view and a careful watch on quality standards. Mike Davenport and Ron Piltz, program managers for Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. and Flint Hills Refinery, respectively, are men with “technical competence, the ability to scope out projects, to develop schedules, and to effectively communicate the requirements to those that are working the projects,” Weiss asserts. “They can work in an efficient manner.” Capacity for excellence Davenport, Piltz, and Weiss stress that all Anvil employees give Alaska Anvil its capacity for excellence. There are people with such strengths throughout Anvil Corp., whether they be at the corporate office in Bellingham, Wash., or any other location. Weiss emphasizes that these remote partners increase Alaska Anvil’s capacity to get a job done right. When a project is bigger than the Anchorage office can handle alone, “we’re able to expand and bring cost-effective support — it’s another element of the One Anvil Concept.”
A few other Cs contribute to the makeup of this company’s excellence — conscientious philosophies, community involvement, and commitment.
The company’s conscientious environmental philosophy regulates design standards. “We want to do everything in our capacity to ensure that through secondary containment and the way the facilities are designed that the impact on the environment is as minimal as possible.” Weiss continues, “we do that by minimizing facility footprint, by ensuring that we have double-lined tanks, and by a number of different ways that engineering helps ensure that we have containment and control of potentially hazardous substances that could be released.”
Community is a central element in Alaska Anvil’s business concept. Anvil Corp. establishes offices in communities where its employee owners want to live and get involved. It’s an important element of employing people who are long-term and committed to an organization, according to Weiss. Alaska Anvil’s community participation includes support of United Way and the coaching and funding of youth sports. The company also works closely with the University of Alaska system and Charter College to bring new employees and interns on board.
Lastly, Weiss knows that clients are central to the company’s success and an indicator of Anvil’s commitment. He states that “the clients have been wonderful. They’ve been great to work with and our presence with them is a testimony to our commitment and ability to leverage each other. We’re very appreciative of that.”
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