As fabrication volume increased and multiple projects ran in parallel, AZCO needed a better way to track progress, coordinate work, and maintain quality without adding administrative overhead. They selected MSUITE to eliminate paper spool drawings, Excel spreadsheets, and disconnected tracking tools.
Customer Overview
AZCO is a heavy industrial construction and fabricator supporting complex infrastructure projects across power, oil and gas, and industrial markets. Operating as part of the Burns & McDonnell family of companies, AZCO integrates closely with engineering, construction, and fabrication teams to deliver predictable, high-quality outcomes.
The AZCO pipe fabrication facility in Wisconsin serves as a centralized hub for stainless and carbon steel fabrication, supporting multiple concurrent projects with strict quality and code requirements.
Prior to my involvement around here, we had a homegrown program that didn’t track real-time information. We were still having paper copies flowing through from a QA/QC standpoint.”
Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
Fabrication Facility Facts
- — 45,000 sq. ft. pipe fabrication facility
- — 39 craft professionals on the shop floor
- — 4 in-house drafters producing spool drawings
- — Union fabrication workforce
The Challenge
Limited Visibility in a Paper-Driven Fabrication Environment
Limited Visibility in a Paper-Driven Fabrication EnvironmentBefore MSUITE, AZCO managed fabrication using a combination of paper spool drawings, Excel spreadsheets, and a legacy homegrown system that lacked real-time production visibility.
While the existing tools supported basic design needs, they did not provide live insight into fabrication status, weld progression, or QA/QC requirements. Critical information still flowed through the shop on paper, making it difficult for leadership and project managers to understand true production status at any given time.
As fabrication volume increased and multiple projects ran in parallel, AZCO needed a better way to track progress, coordinate work, and maintain quality without adding administrative overhead.
Before MSUITE, AZCO relied on paper spool drawings, Excel spreadsheets, and disconnected tracking tools.
Why AZCO Selected MSUITE
Real-Time Insight for Better Production Planning
AZCO selected MSUITE to bring real-time visibility and structure to fabrication execution.
The primary driver was not modeling sophistication, but operational control. AZCO needed to know exactly where spools were in the process, what packages were being worked on, and how production aligned with plans.
With MSUITE, project managers and shop leadership gained immediate access to live production data, eliminating guesswork and reducing the need to chase updates across the shop floor.
“My PMs were getting real-time information. I was able to know exactly where the spools were and where they were on the shop floor.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
Implementation
Rolled Out MSUITE Around How the Shop Actually Works
AZCO partnered with MSUITE to implement the platform in a way that matched real fabrication workflows rather than forcing artificial process changes.
The rollout focused on:
- — Clearly defining fabrication sequences and shop roles
- — On-site training and walkthroughs with MSUITE specialists
- — Gradually onboarding new projects while legacy jobs were phased out
- — Deploying iPads across welders, fit-up booths, cutters, and loaders
By the time MSUITE was fully operational, it was embedded into daily shop activity rather than treated as an overlay system.
“MSUITE’s customer support team came here and did a great job walking through the different sequences and roles.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
The Solution
One Source of Truth for Fabrication Execution
Today, MSUITE serves as AZCO’s system of record for pipe fabrication execution.
The platform provides:
- — Real-time dashboards showing project and package status
- — Digital tracking of spools through fabrication stages
- — Centralized QA/QC workflows for weld logs and inspections
- — Reduced dependence on parallel spreadsheets and paper tracking
For leadership, MSUITE delivers immediate visibility across all active projects, helping ensure work progresses according to plan.
“The Dashboard is extremely helpful. I can see exactly where things are at—all the projects, what packages are getting worked on.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
Measurable Impact
Strongest Gains in Quality Control and Visibility
The most immediate return for AZCO has come from improved quality control and documentation.
With MSUITE, weld logs, inspection requirements, and code-driven steps are tracked digitally, reducing errors and eliminating the need for side spreadsheets. QA/QC documentation is easier to generate, review, and validate, even for complex projects with stringent inspection requirements.
At the same time, leadership and project teams have clearer visibility into what is being worked on, what remains, and where attention is needed across multiple concurrent jobs.
“QA/QC is where I’ve seen the biggest return. Everything is in one place now instead of tracking Excel spreadsheets on the side.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
Looking Ahead
Building the Foundation for Analytics and Automation
Building the Foundation for Analytics and AutomationWith fabrication workflows structured in MSUITE, AZCO is now focused on deeper insight and optimization.
Production data is being evaluated for integration into Power BI to support:
- — Multi-project shop scheduling
- — Better understanding of hours remaining
- — Improved capacity planning across the facility
AZCO is also closely watching advancements in fabrication automation and machine integration as skilled labor shortages continue to impact the industry. MSUITE provides the structured data foundation needed to support those future initiatives.
“We’re starting to look at estimated hours, total hours, hours remaining—and pulling that into Power BI.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
Predictable Fabrication in a Constrained Labor Market
For AZCO, MSUITE delivers more than visibility. It provides control, consistency, and confidence in fabrication execution.
By replacing fragmented paper and spreadsheet workflows with a single, real-time platform, AZCO is better positioned to:
- — Coordinate fabrication across multiple projects
- — Maintain high QA/QC standards
- — Plan production with greater accuracy
- — Prepare for analytics and automation initiatives
MSUITE helps AZCO turn fabrication into a predictable, manageable operation rather than a reactive process.
“The biggest thing for me is knowing exactly where things are at—without chasing paper or spreadsheets.” — Matthew Benner, Pipe Fabrication Department Manager
AZCO builds the critical infrastructure that keeps communities and industries running. As part of Burns & McDonnell, AZCO works across engineering, construction, and fabrication to bring tighter controls, improved coordination, and more predictable execution to heavy industrial projects.
By integrating fabrication early and aligning closely with field and engineering teams, AZCO helps customers execute projects safer, better, smarter, and faster. Website
