When a contractor needs thirty welders and fitters for six months, hiring them directly is often not the best route. Visa allocations, employment liabilities, accommodation and replacements all come with the hire. Skilled trades manpower supply shifts most of that to a provider who employs the workers and supplies them to the project under a service contract. Below is how the arrangement works, what it should include and which terms need agreeing before the first worker arrives, written for EPC contractors, subcontractors, maintenance contractors and plant owners who buy trades capacity.
What is skilled trades manpower supply?
Skilled trades manpower supply is a service in which a provider recruits, employs and deploys qualified trades personnel, such as welders, pipe fitters, electricians, riggers and technicians, to work on a client’s project under the client’s technical direction. It is usually charged at an agreed rate per hour, day or month.
The client gets productive workers without becoming their employer. The supplier carries the employment, payroll, visa and welfare obligations.
What a supply arrangement usually includes
- Recruitment, trade testing and selection against the client’s requirements
- Visa sponsorship, documentation and mobilization
- Salaries, overtime payments and statutory benefits
- Accommodation, meals and daily transport, if agreed
- Basic PPE and trade hand tools, if agreed
- Medical cover and insurance
- Replacement of workers who fail site tests, leave or are removed
- Timesheet and attendance administration
Specialized tools, consumables and plant equipment are normally supplied by the client or main contractor. Exactly where that line sits should be written into the contract.
Who is responsible for what
| Area | Typically the supplier | Typically the client |
|---|---|---|
| Employment and payroll | Contracts, salaries, benefits, wage protection compliance | Approving timesheets |
| Technical direction | Providing competent workers | Assigning work, supervising tasks, setting quality standards |
| Supervision | Foremen, if included | Overall site supervision and coordination |
| Safety | Basic training, PPE and worker discipline | Site rules, permits, inductions and site-specific training |
| Welfare | Accommodation, food and transport, if included | Site welfare facilities such as rest areas and drinking water |
| Performance | Replacing underperforming workers | Reporting performance issues promptly |
Disputes usually come from the grey areas: who pays for a worker removed for a safety breach, who supplies welding machines, who covers overtime meals. Settle them in writing.
How rates are usually structured
Rates are commonly quoted per trade, by the hour or the month, and the basis matters:
- All-in rates include salary, accommodation, transport, food and the supplier’s margin. They are simple to manage, but inclusions vary, so compare carefully.
- Base rates plus extras separate salary-related costs from logistics, which suits clients who provide their own camp.
- Overtime rates need defining: the multiplier, the approval process and any caps.
- Mobilization and demobilization costs may sit inside the rate or be charged separately per worker.
When comparing quotes, line them up on the same basis. A lower hourly rate with accommodation excluded can cost more than an all-in rate.
Contract terms worth negotiating
- Minimum contract period per worker, and notice for early release
- Replacement period for workers who fail site tests or leave
- Trial period during which the client can reject a worker at no cost
- Working hours, rest days and rotation, aligned with local labor law
- Rate review for long contracts
- Performance reporting and how persistent problems are escalated
Before awarding a contract, review the supplier’s capability in detail, as described in how to select a skilled trades manpower supplier. Once workers are on site, managing skilled trades workforce performance becomes the client’s main lever.
Which trades are supplied
Industrial projects draw on trades across civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation and finishing work. The full spread by discipline is covered in skilled trades required for industrial construction projects. For oil and gas specifically, see sourcing skilled trades for oil and gas construction.
Skilled manpower supply from Apex Core Engineering
Apex Core Engineering provides welders, fitters, electricians, technicians, supervisors and engineers through its skilled manpower supply service. Candidates are assessed before deployment, and accommodation and transport are available through logistics and camp management.
Frequently asked questions
Is manpower supply the same as subcontracting?
No. In manpower supply, the client directs the work and carries responsibility for the result. In subcontracting, the subcontractor takes responsibility for delivering a defined scope.
Who supervises supplied workers?
The client normally supervises the work, sometimes with foremen provided by the supplier. The contract should state which.
How quickly can supplied workers be replaced?
That depends on the agreed replacement period and whether the replacement comes from the local market or from abroad. Define it in the contract rather than relying on goodwill.
Discuss your trades requirements with Apex Core Engineering.