Our story
We’ve built a lasting legacy
1997
Two guys and a shop
UPI grew out of Ogston’s Inc., which spent 35 years in the piping fabrication business. In February 1997, Bob Schoneberger and Dave Rickard formed United Piping in Duluth, Minnesota. Dave brought the mechanical and welding expertise. Bob brought mechanical engineering and business operations.
2000
Tripling down
In May 2000, we built our current fabrication and maintenance facility on the Duluth campus and more than tripled our shop capacity. Today the shop has more than 25,000 square feet of fabrication space, a self-contained abrasive blasting booth, and a separate painting and coating bay. The campus also has more than 40 acres of laydown yard and equipment staging, including our timber mat inventory.
2009
The next chapter
UPI became a subsidiary of APi Group in 2009 and has grown more than tenfold since, adding hundreds of jobs. That growth let us take on bigger, more complex work, without losing the reputation we built in our own shop. It also meant more for the two places we call home: new jobs and steady work in Duluth and Yorkville.
2026
Grown but grounded
About half of what we do today is maintenance on infrastructure that’s already in the ground. Most of our superintendents came up through the trades, and on most jobs there are one or two people between the client and the crew. Nearly three decades since two guys and a shop, that’s still how we build: crews first, growth second.
Values
01
Integrity
We are tough. We are fair.
- We will be honest, always
- We are trustworthy
- We keep our word
02
Respect
Everyone has worth. We act like it.
- We treat people right
- We value every idea
- We listen first
03
Caring
We pay attention. We follow through.
- We look out for each other
- We do it right the first time
- We protect our communities
Vision
Engaged professionals building our legacy in energy.
Work with UPI
Business inquiries
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Careers
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