When Tata Projects awarded ETS a 1,208 MT hot-rolled pipe rack package at Sanand, Gujarat, the brief came with three hard constraints: restricted work fronts shared with other contractors, a complex multi-tier pipe rack geometry, and a four-month delivery window that ran straight through the monsoon. This is how the ETS engineering and execution teams delivered the project on time with 8–10% cost optimization.
The Challenge
Pipe racks carry process piping, cable trays, and equipment across an industrial plant, so their geometry is dictated by process routing rather than structural convenience. The Sanand rack involved heavy splicing, truss sections, and tight connection tolerances across multiple levels.
Site access was limited — work fronts opened in sequence as civil work progressed, and the monsoon meant welding and painting windows on site were unpredictable. Any approach that relied heavily on site fabrication would have slipped the schedule.
Hindrances at Site
Execution was managed around evolving site conditions and operational realities. Work fronts were dynamically re-sequenced to align with available site clearances, ensuring erection crews remained productive throughout the project. Erection activities were planned in advance — progressing in line with cleared lots to maintain compliance and execution standards.
Site readiness added further constraints — the erection area and anchor-bolt setting-out were not always ready when crews mobilised. ETS managed each of these through corrected phased dispatches and close coordination with the project team, protecting the four-month programme.
The ETS Approach
ETS shifted the bulk of the work into the controlled factory environment. Components were CNC pre-punched for bolted connections, eliminating site drilling and reducing fit-up errors. Critical truss and spliced sections were mock-assembled in the shop to verify fit before dispatch.
Dispatch was phased to match the sequence in which work fronts became available, so erection could begin on delivered sections while later sections were still in fabrication. This sequential erection planning kept crews productive despite the staggered access.
The Result
The full 1,208 MT package was delivered and erected within the four-month window. Pre-punched, mock-assembled components meant on-site rework was minimal even through monsoon conditions, and the off-site fabrication strategy contributed to an 8–10% overall cost optimization for the client.