The Tigua Facility Services’ (TFS) team has become a nationwide influencer with their redesign of the Port Runner Suppression Systems (PRSS) at multiple land port of entry (LPOE) sites for our customer, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). By leveraging emerging technologies, their optimized design has become the standard for PRSS systems across their nationwide border facilities.
The PRSS systems play a vital role in CBP’s ability to regulate port movements as hundreds of thousands of travelers and materials cross America’s borders. Because the ports are active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, reducing their downtime when needing repair is critical to border security.
LPOE Tornillo (2018)
When TFS acquired the LPOE in Tornillo, TX, they quickly discovered that the pre-existing system was designed with parts and software that were privatized, hard to access, or unavailable, lengthening turn-around times for repairs. The TFS team strategically redesigned the systems with more open-market parts, yielding faster repair times. The team also partners with US-based vendors for more expedient lead times and technical support.
Driven to success by staying at the forefront of innovation in our industry, they also implemented the system’s software infrastructure from analog to a cutting-edge automated system. TFS General Maintenance Technician Arturo Alaniz played an integral role in implementing the new system and is still the subject-matter expert on the LPOE systems on the TX and NM borders. He strives to continually broaden his PRSS knowledge, ultimately expanding TFS’s in-house capabilities.
The team proudly demonstrated to CBP how the new system provides improved security features and long-term viability, saving time and money. The superior quality of this project set a high precedent for expansion for years to come.
LPOE San Ysidro (2020)
“This project brought new challenges as a complete PRSS replacement from the ground up. It was an extraordinary undertaking — our biggest project yet,” said Berkley. The core of the San Ysidro team’s success is their cumulative decades of technological, construction, and mechanical experience from the military and private industries. Our ability to retain strong talent expands our in-house capabilities, lessening the need for third-party contractors.
LPOE San Luis (2023)
TFS’s burgeoning relationship with CBP led them to award the team another design-build of a brand new LPOE PRSS system in San Luis, AZ, in partnership with Hensel Phelps. They have also been awarded three more PRSS renovations at LPOE sites in NM, CA, and TX. TFS’s relationship with CBP is strengthening and gaining momentum with numerous other project modifications and improvements across both borders.
They are standardizing the designs as they continually build PRSS systems across the country. “When we find the best tools, parts, and procedures, we mirror it across all locations,” said Quality Control Manager Abel Hernandez. “It enables us to keep a standard inventory for material readiness. We have a team spanning both borders, and with familiar systems nationwide, they can help each other interchangeably.”
Technological advancements don’t lose momentum, so neither will our team’s effort to stay at the forefront, offering breakthrough developments to CBP.