SemGroup Listed As Fifth-Largest Private Firm
SemGroup LP has been ranked No. 5 on Forbes' 2006 list of America's Largest Private Companies. Tulsa-based SemGroup said it is the only private Oklahoma company in the magazine's top 25. The energy transportation company debuted on the list as No. 14 in 2004 and was ranked No. 9 last year. With $4.2 billion in assets, SemGroup has completed 45 acquisitions since its inception in 2000.
Helmerich & Payne Logs Big Year
Fiscal 2006 was another year of record results for Tulsa-based Helmerich & Payne Inc., as the international drilling company more than doubled its earnings. Driven by record-high rig rates and strong drilling activity, net income during the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30th, was more than $294 million, or $2.77 per share, up from $128 million, or $1.23 per share in 2005. Revenue rose to $1.22 billion.
Tulsa Sales-Tax Revenue Rising
Tulsa's sales-tax revenue was up 5.6 percent for November, or about $800,000, compared with the same month last year. The city is experiencing about 5 percent growth so far for the fiscal year, which runs from July through June 30. November's sale-tax report is based on consumer spending from Sept. 16 through Oct. 15. The city's check from the Oklahoma Tax Commission for the collection period was $15,851,294.
I certainly hope these positive develops hit a critical mass and that wages in Tulsa improve. With all the talk about the improved job market and the lack of qualified workers to fill jobs you would think there would be an upward tick in compensation. That's how the market is supposed to work.
I used to talk about all the grown men in Tulsa making $10 an hour. Now that I've been job hunting in Tulsa I want to revise that downward to $8 an hour. Wish I knew how to weld.
quote:
Originally posted by Hometown
I certainly hope these positive develops hit a critical mass and that wages in Tulsa improve. With all the talk about the improved job market and the lack of qualified workers to fill jobs you would think there would be an upward tick in compensation. That's how the market is supposed to work.
I used to talk about all the grown men in Tulsa making $10 an hour. Now that I've been job hunting in Tulsa I want to revise that downward to $8 an hour. Wish I knew how to weld.
HT- Hey it's never too late to learn. What are your skills? Is outside sales out of the question? It's like Bruce Williams used to say: "You can't over-pay a commissioned sales person."
Througout most of my professional life I've either worked straight commission, or base plus commission, or worked for myself. There are also plenty of inside sales jobs which are not call center jobs that pay well more than $8 per hour.
Thanks Conan, I'll take all the pep talks I can get. I've always admired salesmen. And I'm really bad at it. The person that brings the money into an organization has a lot of power. I've worked as a legal secretary for the past 21 years. But I'll save my sad story for another thread.
I really am serious though about Tulsa needing to kick its pay scale up.
I made more money and had five or six pay checks saved up at all times when I was 14 to 25 yrs old. Then the bottom dropped out and the earnings went with them. I have either worked on comission or been self emplopyed since I was 14. I am 55 now and for the past 6 years the earnings here have been the worst in my working history.
Based on my past several contracts, I have made less and less each month this year. It is the worst I have ever seen in my lifetime. This year 2006 has been the lowest income I have reported since 1966.
I think I need a small cardboard sign that says, "Will blog for food".
Brighter side, brighter side. Bring happy news to this thread.[:D]
Tulsa is a Capricorn and the planet Jupiter will enter Capricorn about a year from now. It is a year-long "12 year high" in a very beneficial cycle. Capricorn stands to make substantial financial and other gains during late 2007 into most of 2008. It's a time of expansion and just plain good luck. It's going to be a wonderful time for Tulsa.
quote:
Originally posted by Hometown
Thanks Conan, I'll take all the pep talks I can get. I've always admired salesmen. And I'm really bad at it. The person that brings the money into an organization has a lot of power. I've worked as a legal secretary for the past 21 years. But I'll save my sad story for another thread.
I really am serious though about Tulsa needing to kick its pay scale up.
I used to do screening/phone interviews as a recruiter in Chicago. A lot of our clients were hiring for call centers across the country looking for entry-level customer service. Hourly wages of $9 to $11 are pretty close to industry standard for entry level workers, whether they live in Tulsa/OKC, Chicago, Boise, San Antonio, Detroit, etc...
$8 is really on the low end, even for Tulsa. Since Tulsa has so many call centers competing for workers, you should be able to do better, even if you do not have call center experience. No matter what you get paid, entry-level wages are what could be described as "getting your foot in the door." If you've previously worked as a legal secretary, you'll have a better chance biting the bullet doing entry-level customer service for awhile. Then you'd get hired internally for higher paying positions you'd probably be better suited for anyway.
But yeah, welding pays better.
I worked in the personnel industry in Tulsa for 16 years. Wages and pay here have been way below standard as long as I can remember.
I was visiting Daytona Beach Florida last Spring and ran onto a group of five young men all riding new Harley Davidsons. Asked them what they did for a living to be able to afford to buy the brand new H-Ds.
They replied they were welders and fitters in a job shop in Illinois. They said they just have a simple job to afford their $20,000 toys. Told me they earn $40 to $60 per hour depending on Overtime. Most run a simple Mig Wire Feed welding machine in a structural steel shop doing "in position" welding at a fabrication shop. That is at the lower end of the scale for skill level in the welding profession.
They pointed out the fact that Oklahoma has "Right To Work" which is hurting our wages here due to the cause and effect on Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
They call it "Right to Get Screwed"
In Oklahoma structural Mig Welders earn from $6 per hour up to around $8 and some as high as $10 in shops. Out in the field the pay is around $12 per hour if they have 2 or more years of experience. Don't know too many, other than the TV models on the Ads, that own 2006 Harley Davidsons and make trips to Daytona Beach Florida.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
I worked in the personnel industry in Tulsa for 16 years. Wages and pay here have been way below standard as long as I can remember.
I was visiting Daytona Beach Florida last Spring and ran onto a group of five young men all riding new Harley Davidsons. Asked them what they did for a living to be able to afford to buy the brand new H-Ds.
They replied they were welders and fitters in a job shop in Illinois. They said they just have a simple job to afford their $20,000 toys. Told me they earn $40 to $60 per hour depending on Overtime. Most run a simple Mig Wire Feed welding machine in a structural steel shop doing "in position" welding at a fabrication shop. That is at the lower end of the scale for skill level in the welding profession.
They pointed out the fact that Oklahoma has "Right To Work" which is hurting our wages here due to the cause and effect on Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
They call it "Right to Get Screwed"
In Oklahoma structural Mig Welders earn from $6 per hour up to around $8 and some as high as $10 in shops. Out in the field the pay is around $12 per hour if they have 2 or more years of experience. Don't know too many, other than the TV models on the Ads, that own 2006 Harley Davidsons and make trips to Daytona Beach Florida.
Interesting you are talking about that, I work in an industry where we have welders on staff- mostly for large HVAC field work and one-off fab stuff and repair we do in the shop.
I guess Oklahoma must pay sub-standard wages in welding and fabrication- those of us who do have Harleys at the shop have pieced-together bikes, even the boss. [;)]
The wages you mention for Oklahoma sound low to me, but if you work in the personnel field, you would have a better view of it than I would. I can say we pay our welders much better than the scale you are talking about. Even still, at the wages we are paying, we are having a hard time competing with Linde, Valmont, etc. who are constantly having cattle calls for skilled code welders in finding more of them.
I work on the sales end, so I don't do too bad, I'm just glad I'm out of the acquisition phase of my life so I can start an eight year cycle of paying college tuition for my daughters in another year and a half. [|)]
Listening to NPR last night, I heard a story all about how American Airlines' maintenance facility in Tulsa (which is the largest in the world) has completely turned around (at least the maint. division) the company, bringing in 50 outside clients. They really emphasized how this is a perfect example of insourcing, bringing in planes from South America all the way to Tulsa for them to be serviced, etc.... Check out the story--it's pretty interesting (and nice to hear about Tulsa on national airwaves in a positive light).
Link to story (//%22http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6594273%22)
quote:
Originally posted by DScott28604
Listening to NPR last night, I heard a story all about how American Airlines' maintenance facility in Tulsa (which is the largest in the world) has completely turned around (at least the maint. division) the company, bringing in 50 outside clients. They really emphasized how this is a perfect example of insourcing, bringing in planes from South America all the way to Tulsa for them to be serviced, etc.... Check out the story--it's pretty interesting (and nice to hear about Tulsa on national airwaves in a positive light).
Link to story (//%22http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6594273%22)
It's quite clever what AA did, turned a cost-center into a profit center by selling maintenance hours to other companies while still providing their own maintenance service for their own planes. A friend of mine specializes in selling AA MRO services to the government and by all accounts their revenue at the base will continue to grow in the coming years.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
quote:
Originally posted by DScott28604
Listening to NPR last night, I heard a story all about how American Airlines' maintenance facility in Tulsa (which is the largest in the world) has completely turned around (at least the maint. division) the company, bringing in 50 outside clients. They really emphasized how this is a perfect example of insourcing, bringing in planes from South America all the way to Tulsa for them to be serviced, etc.... Check out the story--it's pretty interesting (and nice to hear about Tulsa on national airwaves in a positive light).
Link to story (//%22http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6594273%22)
It's quite clever what AA did, turned a cost-center into a profit center by selling maintenance hours to other companies while still providing their own maintenance service for their own planes. A friend of mine specializes in selling AA MRO services to the government and by all accounts their revenue at the base will continue to grow in the coming years.
Somebody needs to point that out to Delgiorno since he likes to say how vision 2025 was a failure and preach about coroporate welfare. This may actualy be one time that corporate welfare money is paying off.
On the bright side. There is more speculation on Tulsa area property than I can ever remember. New development proposals are in the news every day, and many of them are very exciting. Old neighborhoods are being reborn. The river is a constant topic of discussion (say what you will about The Channels, but it certainly has sparked alot of interest in the river).
People are talking and they are educating themselves on land use, zoning and preservation and they are getting involved. For me, TulsaNow and the participants of this forum have played a large role in what I envision for this city and its downtown which I love.
WARNING: ACTUALLY STATISTICS AND FACTS BELOW. They may not line up with what you 'heard' from some guys in Florida.
Funny, when you do a job search for 'welder' in different markets, Tulsa is at worst competitive and at best paying MORE than most places. The reason, of course, is the booming need for welders in Tulsa at the moment as all the oil infrastructure and related manufacturing is at a boom.
The grass is always greener on the other side. If you really think you can make $60 an hour, consistently, as a welder then quit what you are doing, drop everything, and move there. You would be a fool to pass up $150,000+ a year for a skill that requires a couple years of training. If the pay was really that good in IL for welders, there would be a shortage of accountants, engineers, and lawyers as they quit their practices and tossed aside thousands in school debts and nearly a decade of college to make the big bucks welding.
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR WELDERS/BRAZERS IS $15 AN HOUR, according to the BLS. Tulsa's average pay is just over $14, again per the BLS. Adjusted for cost of living in Tulsa, welders here are better off. Incidently, the average in IL is $15.32, the top 10% make $22 an hour. So if these guys were really pulling in $60 an hour, they are in the top 1% and earning double time.
The average in TULSA specifically is $15.82. So the average welder in Tulsa is better off than the average welder in Illinois. New Harleys for all!
Occupation: Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC code 514121)
Period: May 2005 Area name Hourly mean wage
National
15.52
SOC code: Standard Occupational Classification code -- see http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm
Data extracted on December 13, 2006
So, there's some good news for this thread (and a removal of much of the bad news).
Good grief. Tulsa as a whole has good economic news and people are complaining.
quote:
Originally posted by guido911
Good grief. Tulsa as a whole has good economic news and people are complaining.
depends on which end of the cart you reside. i've found that people who are doing well tend to think everyone is and vice versa.
Average to me has always ment some earn a lot more and other earn a lot less.
May be depending on which Occupational Job Code
http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=welder
Using those types of reports are like trying to purchase a vehicle from a Kelly Blue Book, or reading the suggested retail price in a magazine and then discovering there are handling charges, set up fees and dealer delivery costs added to the price. Not to mention the cost of the accessory packages.
Phone the Trade Union or a few personnel agencies in Tulsa and ask how much they are paying their Shop Welders. Call as a welder and not the buyer of labor. You will typically get to different types of answers. It is the buy low sell high system.
You can also check the Help Wanted ads and call a few businesses that hire welders. Two shop owners I know of that perform welding but it is not their main business, took their Yellow Page Ads out of the phone book, because around the first of the month all they got were dozens of phone calls from laid off welders calling to comply with their Un-Employment requirements by applying for work.
Welding has many different disciplines and processes, just as the majority of other skilled professions do. To learn basic in position welding process may take a couple of years. However Aircraft Quality Tig Welding, and Code Welding certificates may take an additional few years to accomplish.
A Fitter/Welder may be listed differently than just Welder. Tig and Code Welders are also listed differently.
quote:
Originally posted by waterboy
quote:
Originally posted by guido911
Good grief. Tulsa as a whole has good economic news and people are complaining.
depends on which end of the cart you reside. i've found that people who are doing well tend to think everyone is and vice versa.
I said Tulsa as a whole has received good economic news. I guess I should not have forgotten the "I am not doing well so let's crap on the good news" people out there...
The quickest way to start a recession is to say there is one.
soon
More bright news coming?
AA maintenance facility is announcing a "major development" Monday morning. AA and union reps will both be there. I'll try to post a synopsis when I find out just what's up...
Don't bother artiem, some person on this board will find some way to make their misfortune more important.
The annual Manpower hiring survey came out this week and Tulsa had the 7th best forecast for hiring in the nation.
Swake, did you not read what I just wrote artiem? Enough with the good news already. Tulsa stinks. We should all accept that and move on.[;)]
Salary range is just one piece of the equation.
Need to take into consideration the benefit or lack of a benefit package along with the rate of pay if comparing salaries to other areas or states.
Many companies may pay more per hour, but offer little or no benefits. No vacation pay, no health insurance or just a small portion of the payment of the health insurance that has a high deductable, no retirement or pension package.
Plus in Oklahoma there is State Income tax that takes a large cunk of most worker's income. Not to mention the near 10% sales tax that is included in Food, Pharmacuticals, and clothing.
Well, if ya don't have anything good to say, sit by AMP.
Hmmm... so you ARE conceding the salary point? ...you're trying to move the goalpost but still can provide no facts about health/fringe benefits to support your argument...
You lose credibility because you refuse to say anything positive about Tulsa. Anything at all... through dozens of posts... I've looked...
And I know FOR A FACT you are completely overstating your case, here. I've screened applicants from Rochester, NY who previously held high paying jobs at Eastman-Kodak and Xerox..... they were applying for jobs that paid a mere fraction of what they were making before.... and the rents there are still significantly higher than the rents in Tulsa...
Benefits?... I have not seen a single national company that will shortchange health care benefits for their employees in one part of the country in favor of employees in another part of the country. They will offer lower salaries, though...
Although I do definitely agree on sales taxes... using regressive sales taxes in an effort to attract rich people to Tulsa is upside-down-welfare in my book...
AMP - I understand how averages work. I hope you undestand the 'averages' I gave were not means, but MEDIANS. Which essentially means the highest and lowest wage earners (no matter how obserdly high or low) have little effect on the outcome. Hence, for some occupations the median is significantluy lower than the mean (CEO's). If you do not, can not, nor wish to appreciate the difference, sorry.
Furthermore, the website I reference offer's the salary range for different percent wage earners (ie. top 10% earns X). Which I referenced. On top of that, I checked job listings and verified the the statistics I saw.
If you did ANY research other than making crap up, I'd listen. But I see nothing but bitching and it grows old.
http://www.thinkenergygroup.com/think.nsf/jobs1?openform&v=(dav)&cat=WELDING%20ENGINEER&Count=1000
http://www.thinkenergygroup.com/think.nsf/jobs1?openform&v=(dav)&cat=WELDING%20ENGINEER&Count=1000
You will need to cut and paste the entire URL into your browser address box. This software wants to cut it to the dot com only.
That should take you to the welding positions page complete with current per hour salary.
I quoted what the men from Illinois told me while I was visiting in Daytona Beach, Florida. I have no reason to not trust what they told me. I have done business in Illinois, made several trips there over the past 10 years. I know business owners and others in Illinois, and their Blue Collar positions do very well there as compared to here.
Plus you don't have to pay Turnpike Fees to travel on the majority of their highways.
Main complaint of people we do business with that travel into Oklahoma for events is the Turnpike Fees. Most tow two or more axle trailers that run their Toll Fees upward of $10 each time they reach a toll booth. But that is another story.
quote:
More bright news coming?
AA maintenance facility is announcing a "major development" Monday morning. AA and union reps will both be there. I'll try to post a synopsis when I find out just what's up...
As promised... here's the info from AA:
FOR RELEASE: Monday, Dec. 18, 2006
AMERICAN AIRLINES MAINTENANCE SERVICES, ALLEGIANT AIR
ENTER INTO LONG-TERM CONTRACT
TULSA, Okla. – American Airlines Maintenance Services and Allegiant Air have signed a five-year comprehensive maintenance agreement, valued at $50 million, that covers a variety of services.
The long-term contract includes aircraft maintenance such as "Heavy C" overhaul checks for Allegiant's current fleet of 21 MD80 aircraft, plus additional MD80 aircraft as Allegiant grows.
The agreement calls for American to provide engineering services, planning services, technical services, reliability services, component maintenance, plus landing gear.
"This is a perfect example of the range of services that AA Maintenance Services can provide," said Bob Reding, American's Senior Vice President of Technical Services. "With our array of hangars and support shops, our technical expertise and the best work force in the industry, we can offer customers quality 'one-stop shopping.'"
Mike Baxter, Allegiant's Senior Vice President Technical Operations, said, "One reason we chose AA Maintenance Services for the long term was because it offers value. We looked at the total value of the package. Not only is the workmanship and materials of the highest quality, but we get our aircraft returned in a timely manner, meaning they can be back in revenue service sooner."
Carmine Romano, Vice President of American's overhaul base in Tulsa, said, "This contract represents another step toward becoming a World Class MRO, and that is very important to our employees, our customers and our stakeholders."
Romano said the initial work will add one continuous dock line, with the potential of two docks, depending upon Allegiant's fleet growth.
Dennis Burchette, Vice President of Transport Workers Union Local 514 in Tulsa, said, "A long-term contract such as this one demonstrates that the customer has great confidence in American's maintenance personnel to perform quality work in a timely manner. Allegiant will not be disappointed."
American Airlines and the Transportation Workers Union, representing the
airline's maintenance workers, have partnered in the past three years to develop a team concept called Working Together. Using the principles of Continuous Improvement, the maintenance team has increased productivity throughout the maintenance organization. Reversing the outsourcing trend now prevalent in the U.S. airline industry, American has been able to seek out and win third party work, such as the Allegiant contract.
AA Maintenance Services offers a full line of airframe, engine and component, and line maintenance services, customizing those services to meet the specific needs of the client. American's MRO business has 62 customers - 80 percent of which are repeat business - located in North and South America. Services are provided by all three of American's overhaul bases in Tulsa, Okla.; Fort Worth, Texas; Kansas City, MO., and at line maintenance locations in the United States, Latin America and Europe.
Allegiant Air is a low-cost, low fare airline offering services from various small cities, principally to and from Las Vegas, Nev., and Orlando and St. Petersburg, FL.
###
<AMP wrote:
I quoted what the men from Illinois told me while I was visiting in Daytona Beach, Florida. I have no reason to not trust what they told me. I have done business in Illinois, made several trips there over the past 10 years. I know business owners and others in Illinois, and their Blue Collar positions do very well there as compared to here.
Plus you don't have to pay Turnpike Fees to travel on the majority of their highways.
Main complaint of people we do business with that travel into Oklahoma for events is the Turnpike Fees. Most tow two or more axle trailers that run their Toll Fees upward of $10 each time they reach a toll booth. But that is another story.
<end clip>
Your friends from Illinois shouldn't throw stones in glass houses when they complain about toll roads.
Here are toll roads in the Land of Lincoln:
-- Interstate 90
-- Interstate 88
-- Interstate 355
-- Interstate 94 / 294
Illinois also has a mess of toll bridges and ferries over its rivers.
AMP - THe webiste you linked to pays NO WHERE NEAR the claim made. THe highest position is the Project Manager (in IL) at $120K a year. $30K short of the welders you met in Daytona.
Furthermore, I didnt say your pals from IL were not telling the truth, I simply said that if they were telling the truth... they were among the top wage earners for welders in the nation. Easily within the top of the top 1%.
If a welder in IL made $60 an hour and averaged a 50 hour work week... why in the hell would there be any engineers, accountants, lawyers, or other professionals in IL when none of those progessions make (on average) anywhere near that. THe claim doesnt even pass the common sense or 'sniff test' and hence, is either a rare example, or simply not true. Drunk bikers in Daytona sometimes lie. The statistics, on the other hand, are neither drunk nor known for being false.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
AMP - THe webiste you linked to pays NO WHERE NEAR the claim made. THe highest position is the Project Manager (in IL) at $120K a year. $30K short of the welders you met in Daytona.
Furthermore, I didnt say your pals from IL were not telling the truth, I simply said that if they were telling the truth... they were among the top wage earners for welders in the nation. Easily within the top of the top 1%.
If a welder in IL made $60 an hour and averaged a 50 hour work week... why in the hell would there be any engineers, accountants, lawyers, or other professionals in IL when none of those progessions make (on average) anywhere near that. THe claim doesnt even pass the common sense or 'sniff test' and hence, is either a rare example, or simply not true. Drunk bikers in Daytona sometimes lie. The statistics, on the other hand, are neither drunk nor known for being false.
They might earn that much if they are welding in a vacuum on very, very exotic metals for the space program. I think they were pissing in AMP's boot, personally.
I think AMP also is confusing his personal lack of fortunes with the overall picture of the economy. AMP, maybe you aren't offering a viable service anymore and need to consider something else. Somehow, in lieu of your comments about Tulsa and the economy sucking, there are a bunch of people out there making good wages.
I actually do know of a drunk Biker from Chicago who works for a concrete company and makes at least that much. If you want to know he was able to find a job like that, well, fagedabodit.
Sometimes in Chicago there are special pay rates for certain people.......
quote:
Originally posted by swake
I actually do know of a drunk Biker from Chicago who works for a concrete company and makes at least that much. If you want to know he was able to find a job like that, well, fagedabodit.
Sometimes in Chicago there are special pay rates for certain people.......
Buzz Dalesandro used to like to brag that his family was in the "concrete business" in Chicago. [;)]
From KOTV, more jobs
Whirlpool To Move Production Of Some Products From Tennessee Plant To Tulsa
AP - 1/5/2007 10:19 AM - Updated 1/5/2007 10:22 AM
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) _ Appliance maker Whirlpool Corp. said Friday it will eliminate about 370 jobs when it moves production of certain freestanding cooking products from a facility in Tennessee to other plants in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Mexico.
The jobs will be eliminated at a facility in Cleveland, Tenn. Most of the eliminated jobs are expected to be absorbed through normal attrition and a reduction of temporary positions, Whirlpool said.
An unknown number of new jobs will be added at the company's Tulsa, Oklahoma facility, while the specific Mexican location has yet to be finalized. The changes are expected to be completed in 2007.
Whirlpool officials said the move is designed to improve the company's productivity and efficiency in North America.
You are doing it again.
quote:
Originally posted by guido911
You are doing it again.
Your sarcasm is wearing very thin. Try a new change of clothes.