ESAB sponsors annual Florence-Darlington Technical College welding competition

Scrap metal was transformed into artwork at Florence-Darlington Technical College’s fifth annual Welding Sculpture Competition sponsored by ESAB.

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, Florence. S.C., sponsored the fifth annual Florence-Darlington Technical College’s Welding Sculpture Competition on April 12 at the Francis Marion University Arts International Festival.

Teams of professional welders and welding students from across the Pee Dee region were given eight hours to turn scrap metal into welded sculptures fitting the competition’s Spirit of America theme. The welded artwork was judged by an independent panel of local sculptors.

In the professional division, the team from Singleton Steel Co. of Sumter, S.C., won first place with their sculpture of a wild mustang set against a mountain backdrop and accented by a feathered bow representing the Indian nation. Honda of South Carolina in Timmonsville took second place with a sculpture that gave tribute to America’s national pastime, baseball. ESAB awarded members of both teams with welding helmets and gloves.

Welding students from Florence-Darlington Technical College won the amateur division and a grand prize of $5,000 worth of ESAB equipment of their choice for their artwork depicting a soaring American eagle with wings fully outstretched. Taking second place with their rendering of America’s national bird was Central Carolina Technical College, winning $2,500 worth of ESAB equipment of their choice, as well as one of the five PowerCut® 900 plasma cutting systems ESAB provided for the competition.

All of the artwork was auctioned off at the end of the competition. Close to $10,000 was raised to benefit the FDTC Welding Student Scholarship Fund.