Blog

Today, we want to cast a spotlight on the Williams Prefab Shop. When you think of plumbing, you may immediately think of the service and maintenance side of our company. But plumbing prefabrication is another essential part of our business. The plumbing materials made the Williams Prefab Shop regularly head to jobsites in Bozeman, Big Sky, and beyond, enabling efficient and high-quality assembly in the field.

Keep reading to learn about our prefab team, the materials we work with, and the diverse jobsites that rely on plumbing prefabrication.

Team

With jobsites requiring new plumbing materials every week, Williams Prefab Shop is full of people and activity. Here are a few of the key players and familiar faces who cut, weld, and assemble the plumbing systems distributed throughout Montana.

Kim, Shop Foreman

This is Kim, our Shop Foreman. He’s relatively new to prefab, having spent many years on the maintenance side of the industry. However, his previous career gives him an appreciation for well-built plumbing systems that are easy to assemble, install, and maintain for years to come.

Michael, Pre-Apprentice

This is Michael, our Plumbing Pre-Apprentice, standing in front of a prefabricated plumbing system that he fabricated himself. The Williams pre-apprenticeship has given Michael the chance to explore the plumbing trade while still in high school. He’s honed his skills on all kinds of materials, from Aquatherm to copper to PVC.

Michael’s advice? If you’re still in high school, a pre-apprenticeship is worth trying out — and it teaches you a lot about yourself.

Jacob, Shop Fabricator

This is Jacob, Shop Fabricator, butt welding an Aquatherm pipe. Skilled in welding and all forms of assembly, Jacob can work with just about any material.

Polar, Shop Dog

And here is Polar, unofficial shop dog. Spinning saws and shuffling boots don’t bother him a bit. He’s often the first one to greet you when you arrive to the Prefab Shop.

Materials

Our plumbing materials are as diverse as the jobs that need them. Below are the most common materials we work with.

PVC

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is a popular plumbing drainage material. Pictured above is a load of prefabricated PVC — each pipe numbered according to its order of assembly — ready to head to the new Lincoln 24-Plex Apartments jobsite in Bozeman.

Aquatherm

Aquatherm is a polypropylene pressure piping system. This malleable and versatile material is suitable for all kinds of projects. What makes Aquatherm so great? It’s lightweight, long-lasting, and provides reduced friction loss with increased flow rates.

Pictured above are two kinds of Aquatherm:

• Aquatherm Green Pipe is designed for hot and cold potable water.
• Aquatherm Blue Pipe is designed for hydronic, geothermal, and industrial applications.

Copper

Copper pipes are a plumbing standard. Why? Copper is very durable: it’s resistant to high pressure, as well as extreme temperatures. This makes copper pipes ideal for water supply lines.

Pictured above is a prefabricated heating system. On the right, copper pipes connect the boiler and storage tank. On the left, copper valves connect to Aquatherm manifolds, which distribute the heating water to the multiple zones, including several snowmelt zones.

Jobsites

When these prefabricated plumbing materials are ready, they head to all kinds of jobsites. Homes. Apartment complexes. Schools. Hospitals. Hotels. The list goes on. We craft each pipe and plumbing system with exact measurements suited for each project type, system assembly, and specified purpose.

Pictured above is a PVC ground installation at the Lincoln 24-Plex Apartments in Bozeman.

Pictured above is the Boiler Room for St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, featuring an Aquatherm piping system.

Careers

Interested in working for Williams? Visit our Careers page to see our current openings.