With safety, integrity, excellence, relationships, and community at its core, Saulsbury is more than just an award-winning engineering, procurement, and construction contractor – it is a trusted partner, employer of choice, and a leader in safety. We sit down with CEO, Matt Saulsbury, who is sustaining his father’s legacy as he leads the company toward continued success.
GETTING THE JOB DONE RIGHT
A dominant force in North America’s oil and gas industry, Texas has long been responsible for a significant portion of the nation’s crude oil and natural gas production, contributing considerably to socioeconomic development in terms of job creation and revenue generation.
More widely, the US’ abundance of affordable and reliable energy resources continues to strengthen national security and bolster the country’s overarching goal of achieving energy independence by reducing its reliance on imports and increasing export potential.
“Continuous innovation across the sector has fueled a surge in domestic production, positioning the US as a leading global exporter,” introduces Matt Saulsbury, CEO of Texas-based full-service engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, Saulsbury, a market leader with a proven history of expert project execution in the oil and gas sector.
As the son of Founder, Dick Saulsbury, Matt was appointed as CEO in February 2023, and his deep-rooted industry expertise, particularly in Texas, is second to none.
Playing a crucial role in the company’s operations for over three decades and having previously held the position of Vice President of Project Services, Matt is uniquely qualified to lead Saulsbury toward a bright future.
“Over my 30-year tenure at Saulsbury, I’ve witnessed a dramatic transformation in North America’s oil and gas industry, largely driven by technological advancements such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing,” he insights.
Matt’s wealth of experience, vision for the future, and dedication to the company’s core values has helped Saulsbury continue to deliver on its modus operandi – ‘getting the job done right’.
AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY
Despite the historic successes and benefits of the oil and gas sector, those operating within it today must navigate a complex landscape of challenges.
For example, regulatory changes at both federal and state level have prompted a shift away from traditional fossil fuels, necessitating the implementation of robust compliance strategies to minimize environmental impacts, promote air quality, and protect natural water sources.
Market instability also persists, caused by international supply chain disruptions and variable demand.
“Industry challenges are ongoing, particularly oil price volatility driven by global supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical events, and economic fluctuations,” Matt confirms.
Therefore, in the face of continuous adversity, many oil and gas companies are increasingly partnering with EPC contractors such as Saulsbury to help deliver their projects and achieve their objectives.
By utilizing a fast-track design-build approach to minimize costs and maximize the efficiency of its clients’ schedules, the company has seen much success thanks to its ability to make timely decisions and react promptly to industry changes.
“Our core values of safety, integrity, excellence, relationships, and community guide our operations,” he asserts.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
As a family-owned company, Saulsbury takes pride in maintaining over 90 percent repeat business with a large proportion of its clients.
Founded as Saulsbury Electric Co. in 1967, the company underwent rapid initial evolution from its humble beginnings.
By the 1980s, client demand eventually led to the business expanding into general construction through Saulcon General Construction, before evolving into a full EPC provider in the 1990s with Saulsbury Engineering and Construction.
“In 2012, we unified these entities under the Saulsbury banner to streamline our operations,” Matt informs.
Today, the company supports clients across the country by providing expert services in engineering, general construction, electrical and instrumentation work, field services, structural and piping module fabrication, insulation, and scaffolding.
Saulsbury supports a broad scope of industries, including oil and gas, gas processing and treatment, nitrogen rejection, CO2 management, renewable energy and infrastructure, water treatment, liquified natural gas (LNG), power, refining and petrochemicals, agriculture and food processing, mining and metals, chemicals, specialty chemicals, and fertilizers.
Headquartered in Odessa, Texas, the company operates across multiple locations in the state, including Corpus Christi, Abilene, Houston, and Port Arthur, as well as a fabrication facility in Henderson.
Elsewhere, it also operates in Bismarck, North Dakota; Carlsbad, New Mexico; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a staff base of over 2,000.
“We self-perform the majority of our work and are licensed across most of the US,” he shares.
With a strong track record of delivering integrated solutions for complex capital projects, Saulsbury stands out from the crowd.
Its comprehensive portfolio of in-house functions eliminates the need for extensive subcontracting, meaning the company not only provides customers with direct access to its 50+ years of expertise but also the ability to control the safety, quality, schedule, and cost of projects.
Proudly recruiting the best talent in the industry, Saulsbury’s experienced teams are known for maintaining the highest standards and delivering exceptionally safe projects on an accelerated timetable.
While the company’s roots are in oil and gas, it has also begun to strategically diversify its portfolio.
“Our increased focus on renewables and non-oil and gas sectors has strengthened our resilience against industry downturns,” Matt reveals.
As such, Saulsbury’s expertise in industrial construction has enabled the company to successfully enter new and emerging markets by applying proven, transferable skills and methodologies.
“The world we live in today is a far cry from when my father ran his business with just a handshake. Even now, he shares stories and advice from those early days and often follows up with – ‘If I had known back then what it takes to do business these days, I probably would’ve closed up shop a long time ago’”
Matt Saulsbury, CEO, Saulsbury
BOLSTERING THE NATION’S OIL AND GAS
In the early 2000s, Saulsbury experienced a period of significant growth as shale development took off in the region, allowing it to support the industry with natural gas cryogenic processing facilities, power generation infrastructure, turbine and reciprocating compression facilities, and various gathering and production assets.
“Despite industry downturns, including the 2008 financial crisis, we remained disciplined and resilient,” Matt recalls.
The 2010s saw the US emerge as a dominant oil and gas producer and, by 2018, it regained its status as the world’s largest oil and natural gas supplier.
At the time, Saulsbury was executing major projects across the Permian, Midland, Eagle Ford, Bakken, Haynesville, Barnett, Niobrara, Anadarko-Woodford, and Utica Basins, further bolstering the nation’s impressive oil and gas footprint.
Since then, the industry has faced persistent challenges, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a particularly significant setback.
However, the company’s resilience and its commitment to retaining talent allowed it to recover from the aftermath of COVID-19 swiftly, returning to business as usual within a year.
Having said this, post-pandemic supply chain disruptions continue to be a challenge for Saulsbury – particularly where procuring critical equipment and electrical components is concerned.
Elsewhere, industry consolidation through mergers and acquisitions has presented opportunities, with the company’s strong financial position, leading safety programs, operational expertise, and world-class field teams enabling it to maintain and expand beneficial relationships in this regard, such as those with supermajors.
“As we move forward, we are also diversifying our portfolio to support emerging markets and new opportunities beyond traditional oil and gas,” Matt reminds.
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENTS
Beyond the ongoing enhancements it continues to make to its automated fabrication and welding technology, Saulsbury actively invests in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Microsoft Power Business Intelligence, cloud platforms, and advanced communications systems to remain ahead of the curve.
“These investments drive operational efficiency, reduce costs, and foster innovation across our projects,” Matt excites.
By leveraging AI-driven cybersecurity systems, for example, Saulsbury has been able to improve threat detection and protection, ensuring its digital infrastructure is safeguarded against evolving risks.
Elsewhere, intelligent workflows and real-time data analytics provide customers with granular end-to-end visibility into every aspect of the company’s operations.
“This allows us to proactively manage risks, adapt to changing demands, and maintain seamless project execution for our customers,” he adds.
To further enhance transparency, Saulsbury utilizes digital signage at job sites, intranet communication, secure video streaming, and real-time quality tracking mechanisms.
As such, it ensures teams and clients have access to up-to-date project metrics that are measured against company and project-specific key performance indicators (KPIs), fostering a more connected and well-informed workforce while delivering consistent and reliable customer experiences.
Saulsbury also proudly utilizes advanced technology within its safety practices, leveraging cutting-edge, data-driven software to track every accident, incident, near miss, or good catch.
“By analyzing trends related to incident types, severity, affected body parts, and seasonal fluctuations, we are able to develop targeted safety training programs at company-wide, project-specific, and individual levels,” Matt says.
This comprehensive approach to safety extends across the organization, with key trends and issues communicated through emails, weekly meetings, and digital video boards at every project site.
At Saulsbury, embracing a safety-first culture is a fundamental requirement for all employees.
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