Flexicrew Celebrates 10 Years Serving Maritime Industry

For shipbuilders, everything in the life of a project, from cutting the first steel and laying the keel to launching the vessel and delivering it to the client, would be impossible without an able workforce. And for the past decade, Flexicrew Staffing, a regional staffing firm, has partnered with shipyards and other maritime companies to provide that workforce.

Founded in 2008 and celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Flexicrew connects welders and fitters, blasters and painters, HAZMAT crews, equipment operators, hydroblasters, mechanics of all trades, stevedores and general laborers to the maritime industry.

The company’s reach actually goes well beyond the maritime industry. Flexicrew also serves the energy, manufacturing, hospitality, warehousing, food processing, mechanical, office administration, environmental, refining and construction industries.

In 2015, the company launched Flexicrew Technical Services, a white collar staffing firm that focuses on connecting companies with project managers, service engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, and even executives.

“We’re a turn-key talent provider, so we can work with companies from the office worker, to somebody in the engineering department, to someone in the executive department,” said Brandon Smith, managing partner with Flexicrew Technical Services. “We can also work with companies in the shipyard with trades and labor.

“We’re very partnership-driven in our approach,” Smith added.

Flexicrew has regional offices in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.

Smith acknowledged that for many maritime companies, including shipyards, this remains a challenging and depressed market.

“What we’re seeing right now is the yards that have government contracts are staying steady,” he said. “The yards that don’t have that work, I think, are out there working hard to get new orders.”

One area that has seen steady demand, Smith said, even during the economic downturn, has been service technicians.

“A lot of the service companies are in need for service technicians and engineers to work on, repair and overhaul equipment,” he said. “That demand is still there.”

Otherwise, Smith said he will see surges in demand for workers at a shipyard to tackle a specific project.

Flexicrew maintains a robust talent pool through a variety of sources. Oftentimes, workers will reach out to one of Flexicrew’s field offices. The company also reaches out through digital media, flyers and career fairs.

“We have a really good team of professional recruiters on our staff,” Smith said. “They know the industry and have good access to the talent. We’ll also participate in job fairs and industry events like the Inland Marine Expo and Workboat Show.”

With that network in place, Flexicrew is able to rapidly connect companies with qualified candidates for specific jobs. Many times, Flexicrew will offer the candidate a contract or a contract-to-hire, with Flexicrew acting as the employer and carrier of worker compensation. Flexicrew also will facilitate direct hires, where a shipyard or other maritime company hires the candidate permanently from the start.

Smith said it’s all about connecting companies with a talented workforce.

“We’re in business to help our clients be successful, and that’s providing them really good hires,” Smith said. “We’re partnership oriented. We’re a turn-key provider. We’re two companies with one mission—workforce flexibility.”

For more information, visit www.flexicrew.com or www.flexicrewtech.com.