Cooper Steel, Inc.

What Cooper Steel, Inc. does

Cooper Steel, Inc. (legal name Cooper's Steel Fabricators, Inc.) is a family-owned structural steel fabrication and erection contractor founded in 1960 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. The company delivers a vertically integrated service set spanning preconstruction (estimating, value engineering, design-build), 24/7 project management with BIM coordination, robotic steel fabrication, field operations, and self-perform erection, eliminating the handoff gap between separate fabricators and erectors. Operations are run from three fabrication facilities totaling more than 385,000 square feet (Shelbyville TN, Childersburg AL, Monroe VA) with combined monthly capacity of approximately 5,000 tons, supported by an advanced equipment fleet including Peddibot robotic processors, Peddinghaus CNC drill lines, and cranes up to 30 tons.

The company serves general contractors and project owners across multiple enterprise verticals: industrial and manufacturing (Hankook Tire, Ford EV Battery Plant, Toyotetsu, Nokian, Champion Pet Foods), distribution and e-commerce (Publix, confidential mega-distribution centers), aviation (Hartsfield-Jackson ATL, Nashville International BNA), advanced industries (Gulfstream aerospace, confidential data center campuses), food and beverage, and commercial construction (Gaylord Palms, Belmont University Performing Arts Center). Revenue is generated through project-based contracts priced on scope, tonnage, and complexity, with active execution in 35+ states. Cooper Steel is one of the top 15 purchasers of mill-produced steel in the United States and has been ranked the #4 Steel Firm in ENR's Top 600 Specialty Contractors for three consecutive years (also #80 overall in 2025).

The company is privately held under multi-generational family ownership: founder J. Kenneth Cooper (1960) was succeeded by Gary Cooper as CEO and Chairman of the Board in 2017, with the third generation (Cory Cooper as COO, Jordan Cooper as CFO, and Sydney Cooper Davis as CAO) currently in executive seats. Cooper Steel is currently executing a $65 million, seven-year expansion in Bedford County, Tennessee, with an additional fabrication facility in Shelbyville opened in 2025 and a new shop at Cooper Steel South (Alabama) breaking ground for a 2027 opening, expected to add 120+ jobs.

Name

Cooper Steel, Inc.

Legal name

Cooper's Steel Fabricators, Inc.

Website

https://coopersteel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cooper Steel, Inc. is a family-owned, vertically integrated structural steel fabrication and erection contractor founded in 1960 in Shelbyville, Tennessee, serving general contractors and project owners in manufacturing, distribution, aviation, aerospace, data center, and commercial construction across 35+ U.S. states from three fabrication facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Steel Fabrication and Erection Services

NAICS

Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (23812), Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (3312)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Structural Steel Fabrication (IMADACAA)

Keywords

• Structural steel fabrication
• Steel erection services
• Preconstruction estimating
• Construction project management
• Industrial steel construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Steel Fabrication and Erection Services: Cooper Steel generates revenue through project-based contracts for steel fabrication and erection services. The company handles the complete lifecycle from preconstruction through fabrication and field erection, serving general contractors and project owners across multiple sectors including manufacturing, distribution, aerospace, commercial, and mission-critical infrastructure. Pricing is determined per project based on scope, tonnage, and complexity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cooper Steel is a steel fabrication and erection contractor offering five integrated service lines — Preconstruction, Project Management, Fabrication, Field Operations, and Erection — for general contractors and project owners across industrial, manufacturing, distribution, advanced technology, aviation, food and beverage, mission critical, and commercial construction. Services span the full project lifecycle from estimating and value engineering through robotic fabrication at three plants and on-site self-perform steel erection.

Product overview

Cooper Steel, Inc. is a steel fabrication and erection company offering a comprehensive suite of services organized into five core areas: Preconstruction Services (estimating, value engineering, design-build), Project Management Services (multi-tiered teams, BIM coordination), Fabrication Services (robotic fabrication with advanced machinery), Field Operations Services (on-site management with 3D modeling), and Erection Services (structural steel, joist/deck, self-perform division). The company serves projects across six industry segments: Industrial & Manufacturing, Advanced Industries (including data centers and aerospace), Distribution & E-Commerce, Aviation, Food & Beverage, Mission Critical, and Commercial construction. Operations span three fabrication facilities in Tennessee, Alabama, and Virginia with over 385,000 square feet of operational space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services Strategic planning, estimating, value engineering, design-build, and constructability review services that prepare structural steel projects for execution, delivered to general contractors and project owners.
• Project Management Services Dedicated multi-tiered project management teams available 24/7, providing construction cost analysis, document change management, BIM coordination, and subcontractor management for steel construction projects.
• Fabrication Services Steel fabrication using advanced machinery and technology, including robotic fabrication (Peddibot 1200, Robotic Peddiassembler), paint and galvanizing, quality control, barcode tracking, and specialized options such as plate girders and trusses, delivered at facilities in Shelbyville TN, Childersburg AL, and Monroe VA.
• Field Operations Services On-site project management, delivery coordination, project progress tracking using 3D modeling software, and inventory tracking services delivered during structural steel construction.
• Erection Services Structural steel erection, joist and deck, miscellaneous erection, equipment and millwright services delivered through Cooper Steel's in-house self-perform division.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.83% fabrication conformity rate achieved on Project Hankook (16,500-ton tire manufacturing facility)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SteelFab: SteelFab (formerly Schuff Steel) is one of the largest US structural steel fabricators and erectors, providing integrated fab and erection services to commercial, industrial, and healthcare projects—directly comparable to Cooper Steel's vertically integrated model and end-market mix.
• W&W Steel and Sons: W&W Steel and Sons is an AISC-fabricator/eraser serving commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial projects across the Southwest and nationally. Comparable in scale, vertical integration, and use of advanced CNC and robotic fabrication equipment.
• Hirschi Steel: Hirschi Steel is a multi-region structural steel fabricator/eraser with comparable capabilities (BIM, robotic processing, paint) and a similar project mix across commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors.
• TrueNorth Steel: TrueNorth Steel is a regional structural steel fabricator serving commercial, industrial, and healthcare projects in the Upper Midwest with comparable tonnage capacity, robotic processing capabilities, and self-perform erection services.
• SME Steel Contractors: SME Steel Contractors is a national structural steel erector and fabricator with comparable safety record (multiple AISC awards) serving industrial, healthcare, education, and large commercial projects across the western US.
• Peterson Beckner Industries: Peterson Beckner Industries is a regional structural steel fabrication and erection contractor serving commercial, healthcare, and institutional projects in Texas with comparable self-perform erection capabilities and advanced CNC equipment.
• Ben Hur Steel: Ben Hur Steel is a Midwest structural steel fabricator and erector serving commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial projects with comparable tonnage capacity, robotic processing, and integrated fab-plus-erection service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Canam Group: Canam Group is one of the largest North American structural steel fabricators, serving large commercial, industrial, and bridge end-markets. Comparably scaled but more diversified across Canada and the US, with broader product offerings including joists and decking.
• Nucor: Nucor is the largest US steel producer and also operates a significant structural steel fabrication business. It is a broader incumbent that supplies Cooper Steel indirectly via mill steel and competes in fabrication—making it both a supplier and an adjacent peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/coopersteel_usa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooper-steel-inc.

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cooper Steel, Inc.