TULWAY ENGINEERING: Welding the Future Together

Britain’s energy transition will be built by people as much as by projects. Government estimates suggest that the clean energy sector needs around 860,000 workers, roughly double its current workforce, with about 400,000 new jobs required by 2030. For the pipework, steelwork and welding businesses that turn designs into delivered infrastructure, that is both a significant opportunity and a serious test of capacity and skills. Few companies are better placed to meet it than Tulway Engineering.

The business was founded in 1998 by Kevin Tully, a qualified engineer who now serves as Managing Director and has more than 35 years in the industry. From its roots as a small, family-run engineering firm in the northwest, with its headquarters in Knowsley, Merseyside, Tulway has grown steadily into a national contractor. In 2021 it bought a 30,000 sq ft fabrication workshop in Middlesbrough with 20-tonne overhead lifting capacity, securing 23 existing jobs and opening up the Teesside market. It has since added a welding specialist centre in the northeast, its newest and third highly specialised site.

Today Tulway offers engineering design, fabrication, installation, construction and project management support across pipework, structural steelwork and mechanical equipment. Its work spans the chemical, petrochemical, hydrogen, nuclear and high-pressure gas transmission sectors, and its client list has included names such as National Grid and Stellantis. Through Tulway Energy it also supports renewable energy projects.

What sets the company apart is a combination of technical rigour and culture. Tulway holds a CSWIP-registered welding inspector controlling workshop welding, National Grid qualifications for carbon and stainless-steel welding, and UKCA and CE marked structural steelwork, and it was accredited to BS EN 1090 execution class III ahead of its Teesside expansion. Behind the certificates is a family business that puts its people at the heart of everything it does, valuing transparency, quality and long-term relationships with clients and colleagues.

PROVEN CAPABILITY

Over the past year the company has strengthened the credentials that major clients look for. Chief among them are welding procedures that are third-party approved for hydrogen service, a vital qualification as the UK looks to develop hydrogen networks and the pipework to carry it. “At Tulway, we provide both off-site fabrication and site installation services using welding procedures that are third-party approved for hydrogen service,” the company says. “This means our clients benefit from proven capability, full traceability, and the quality assurance needed for high-integrity hydrogen applications. As demand grows for safe, reliable hydrogen infrastructure, we are ready to deliver the pipework packages that help turn major projects into reality.”

Testing has moved in-house too. Through a partnership with Incon NDT, Tulway brought non-destructive testing services into its Teesside facilities, which is expected to mean faster testing, shorter lead times, lower costs for customers and a cut of around 12 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, all without compromising quality or safety.

Capacity is the other half of the story. The UK’s project pipeline is moving quickly from planning to construction, and Tulway is making the case that it can supply the fabrication muscle required. “The UK’s next generation of major infrastructure projects will require fabrication capacity on an unprecedented scale,” the company says. “Across carbon capture, hydrogen, nuclear, energy and industrial infrastructure, programmes are now moving from design into delivery. The challenge is no longer identifying the projects. It is securing the proven manufacturing capacity to build them.

“Our recently delivered major fabrication package involved more than 26,000 welds completed in just 39 weeks. Delivered ahead of schedule. Delivered without compromise. That is volume fabrication proven in practice.”

The company adds that the same strengths are available to others. “For major projects requiring thousands of pipe spools, substantial welding volumes and dependable off-site delivery, Tulway already has the facilities, workforce, procedures and management systems in place,” it says.

CARRINGTON AWARD

That readiness has now been recognised with the award of a role on the Carrington project, Highview Power’s landmark long-duration energy storage development in Greater Manchester. Tulway will provide high-integrity pipework, steelwork and mechanical engineering services, a package that plays directly to the strengths built up at its sites.

“This is another important step in Tulway’s continued growth across major UK energy and infrastructure projects, and further strengthens our position as a trusted delivery partner for high-integrity pipework, steelwork and mechanical engineering services,” the company says.

“Our team will support Carrington with the same focus we bring to every project: safe delivery, technical capability, quality workmanship and responsive site support. Highview’s work in long-duration energy storage is an important part of the UK’s transition to a more resilient and sustainable energy system, and we are proud to play our part in supporting this landmark project.”

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

None of this is possible without skilled people, and Tulway is clear that engineering firms must do more than wait for talent to appear. Research suggests 80% of the projected 2030 workforce may already be employed, and that apprenticeships can take several years to complete, which makes early investment in young people all the more important. Tulway’s answer is a structured apprenticeship programme anchored at its Middlesbrough facility.

“At Tulway, we are passionate about investing our time, resources, and expertise in developing the next generation of engineering talent, particularly at a time when the industry continues to face a significant skills gap,” the company says. “Our Middlesbrough facility is a great example of this commitment. Each year, we welcome talented apprentices into the business, providing valuable hands-on experience alongside their studies and helping them build the skills, confidence, and knowledge needed for a successful career in engineering.

“By supporting emerging talent today, we’re helping to strengthen the future of our industry for years to come.”

For Kevin Tully, the results are visible on the shop floor. “Our apprentices are a huge part of the future of the business, and it is brilliant to see their development, attitude and commitment first-hand,” he says. “Skilled trades are vital to UK engineering, fabrication and major infrastructure, and we are proud to be investing in young people who will help carry that standard forward.”

The lesson for the wider industry is straightforward. Hydrogen, carbon capture, nuclear and energy storage all depend on welds that are right first time, and that means welders, inspectors and engineers who have been trained properly. By pairing proven accreditations and delivery with a sustained commitment to apprentices, Tulway is showing how an engineering firm can support the energy transition today while making sure the people needed tomorrow are already on the shop floor.