VEC/BP Team Wins Fall Golf Outing (Again)!

On Sunday, September 21, 2008, VEC golfers teamed with BP Procurement personnel to win the BP Golf League Golf Outing at Minne Monesse Golf Club in Grant Park, IL. The team of Bill Palmer (VEC), Pat Morris (VEC), Tony Barron (BP), and Brad Robbins (BP) posted a 13 under par score of 59 on the par 72 course.

This is the fifth consecutive outing won by the VEC / BP team, but the first win with Tony Barron and Brad Robbins on the team.

The outing was played as a scramble format where each player starts each hole by hitting their own shot. The team then selects the best shot of the four shots followed by each player playing their next shot from this same location. This format is repeated on each successive shot until the ball is holed out.

Bill Palmer also won one of the closest-to-the-pin contests on the twelfth hole - a par three hole measuring 145 yards. Bill's 8-iron tee shot came to rest approximately 5 feet from the cup.

Approximately 120 golfers from BP, RCA, Vendors, and LECs participated in the golf outing. Pat Fitzpatrick was the only other VEC employee who participated.

VEC contributed 10 door prizes to the golf outing.



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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.

Chicagoland Safety & Health Conference

VEC's Safety Manager extrordinare Amy Gibson will be speaking at a Pre-Conference Session at the 20th Annual Chicagoland Safety and Health Conference. "Women in Safety" will feature 9 women safety professionals from the Chicagoland area sharing experiences and words of wisdom from their years in EHS.

The following excerpt is from the Safety Conference brochure, published by the American Society of Safety Engineers.

"By popular demand here is a session designed for women by women. The panel is made up of women in EHS careers with depth and breadth of experience. There will be representation from corporate EHS, industry, insurance, education, consulting, government, etc.

We strongly believe that women considering new careers in EHS and/or women who may be seeking opportunities in new and different areas of this fascinating and challenging profession can benefit from mentoring and networking with their peers. We believe that all of us are strengthened by information, resources and encouragement.

This is an opportunity for women who are new to the profession to benefit from seasoned professionals. It is also an opportunity for seasoned professionals to contribute by sharing their knowledge and insight and providing a bridge to the future.

Half of the session will include individual and panel presentations, the second half will provide for group discussion with generous time for Q&A."


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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.

2008 Recruiting Update

Valdes Engineering has kicked off recruiting of the 2009 graduating class with visits to career fairs at the University of Illinois and Purdue. With steady, controlled growth, Valdes continues to recruit quality engineers, engaging them in our focus on quality engineering services and career growth. University graduates play a huge role in creating our dynamic company culture.

Valerie Duncan, a 2007 graduate of Purdue University and Valdes Engineering Company employee, was interviewed at the recent Industrial Roundtable. See the attached link for the complete story, from The Exponent, Purdue's Daily Student Newspaper.

http://www.purdueexponent.org/?module=article&story_id=12573


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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.

Coal Gasification Pilot Plant Status Update

Construction continues on the East Coast for the new Coal Gasification Pilot Plant. The large 200 foot structure will house the state of the art gasification reactor while construction on the process building continues below. The primary engineering effort for this project is now complete and the project is in the good hands of the general contractor.




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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.

VEC Hits a Home Run with Sox Night!

About 60 VEC employees and family members turned out on August 22 at US Cellular Field to celebrate Elvis Night and enjoy some great baseball. Elvis Night is an annual event for the Sox, and one of the most anticipated games of the year. Highlights included Elvis impersonators throughout the park, skydivers dressed in white jumpsuits, and a spectacular fireworks display set, of course, to the music of the King.

VEC's Director of Engineering Operations, Dan Mueller, even paid tribute to the King in his head-to-toe Elvis costume! Check out the photos below of the game and pregame party.













Writers note: Go Cubs!!

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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.

Copolymer Adhesives Facility Expansion

In anticipation of an expanding market, Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) assisted an international corporation with the engineering/design of a plant expansion to increase production capacity at their Northern Illinois facility. The plant produces vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) copolymer adhesives by means of a high pressure process utilizing vinyl acetate and cryogenic ethylene.

The plant expansion included the addition of a new 12,000 square foot process building and production area, increasing adhesive production by 50%. Major process equipment included a high pressure reactor, heat exchanger, recirculation pump, and cryogenic ethylene storage tank. All process equipment, utility piping, vessels and structures were modeled in 3D using PDS. VEC met an aggressive schedule by completing the engineering phase of the project within 10 months. This enabled the client to begin the construction phase on schedule.




Graycor Industrial Constructors Inc. (www.graycor.com) provided construction services on the project. Please reference the following excerpt from a recent Graycor news letter.



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Valdes Engineering Company (VEC) sets the standard for excellence in engineering serving regional, national and global corporations with on-time, on-budget projects. VEC is a Chicago-based engineering consulting firm, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, power, chemical, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries.