Astro Metal Craft

What Astro Metal Craft does

Astro Metal Craft is a second-generation, family-owned custom metal fabrication company founded in 1987 in Hanover, Minnesota, operating from a 40,000+ sq ft footprint across Hanover, Cologne, and Norwood Young America, MN. The firm produces certified-welded stainless steel and aluminum components for industrial equipment (screw conveyors, spiral gravity chutes, water treatment tanks, machine frames, augers) and architectural metalwork (railings, perforated panels, fences, rain screens, privacy screens), including a registered-trademark pre-engineered product family called StellarCraft. Technical capability centers on AWS-certified welding, CNC laser cutting, TruPunch 5000 perforation, press brake forming, tube bending, and Revit-based collaborative 3-D design, supported by an ERP system that maintains heat number and Mill Test Report traceability for Buy American Act and Build America Buy America Act compliance.

The business model is project-based, quote-driven custom fabrication sold directly through an RFQ process to architects and engineers, contractors, OEMs/equipment manufacturers, food processors, and government/municipal/transit buyers (including federally funded projects where BAA/BABA compliance is required). StellarCraft is positioned as a configurable, architect-specifiable line that converts what would otherwise be one-off custom jobs into repeatable SKU-style revenue, complemented by the 2023 acquisition of Storm's Welding and Repair which added custom truck fabrication, septic pumper rigs, and trailer/marine/agricultural welding services. Go-to-market relies on direct sales via phone and RFQ, a dedicated stellarcraftmetals.com specification site, AIA MN trade show presence, and a blog/email newsletter; pricing is non-public and varies with material type, gauge, tolerances, quantity, finish, schedule, and volume. The company is privately held by Tony Ross, holds no disclosed institutional capital, and reports no public revenue figures.

Name

Astro Metal Craft

Legal name

Astro Metal Craft

Website

https://astrometalcraft.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Astro Metal Craft is a second-generation family-owned custom metal fabricator in Hanover, Minnesota producing certified-welded stainless steel and aluminum industrial equipment and architectural metalwork, including the StellarCraft pre-engineered railing and panel line, for architects, contractors, OEMs, food processors, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication

NAICS

Ornamental and Architectural Metal Products Manufacturing (33232), Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders) (IMADACAE)

Keywords

• Custom metal fabrication
• Sheet metal fabrication
• Certified welding services
• Architectural railings
• Industrial equipment manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication Projects: One-time project-based custom metal fabrication services for industrial equipment and architectural projects. Services include perforating, laser cutting, forming, certified welding, machining, shearing, metal finishing, and drafting.
2. Pre-engineered Architectural Products (StellarCraft): StellarCraft line of pre-engineered architectural metal products (railings, panels, fences) that can be customized and spec'd by architects and engineers, providing recurring project revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Astro Metal Craft is a custom sheet metal fabricator producing industrial equipment (screw conveyors, spiral gravity chutes, water treatment tanks, machine frames) and architectural metal products (StellarCraft aluminum railings, panels, fences). Services span perforating via TruPunch 5000, CNC laser cutting, certified AWS welding (CWI on staff), press brake forming, tube bending, machining, shearing, and metal finishing. All work is project-quoted, drawing on 30+ years of experience with food processing, government/transit, and architectural customers.

Product overview

Astro Metal Craft is a second-generation family-owned custom metal fabrication company offering a unified portfolio of industrial equipment and architectural metal products. The core offering centers on precision sheet metal fabrication services including certified welding (AWS), laser cutting, CNC punching/perforation (TruPunch 5000), forming, and machining. Industrial equipment products include water treatment tanks, screw conveyors (including Thermoveyor for thermal processing), spiral gravity chutes, and machine frames. The StellarCraft architectural sub-brand provides pre-engineered aluminum railing systems (Galaxy, Pulsar, Vega), perforated panels (Altair), rain screens (Starfleet), fences (Nebula), and privacy screens (Nova), targeting architects and engineers for specification. In 2023, the company expanded into custom truck fabrication through acquisition of Storm's Welding and Repair. The company operates from facilities in Hanover, Cologne, and Norwood Young America, Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StellarCraft™: Architectural metal products line consisting of aluminum railings and wall panels for architects and engineers, including perforated guardrails (Galaxy), picket guardrails (Pulsar, Vega), perforated panels (Altair), rain screens (Starfleet), perforated fences (Nebula), and privacy screens (Nova).
• Storm's Welding and Repair

Products and services

• StellarCraft Architectural Metal Products Proprietary sub-brand offering pre-engineered aluminum railings, perforated guardrails, perforated panels, rain screens, perforated fences, balcony systems, and privacy screens for architects and engineers specifying architectural metalwork on commercial, institutional, and residential building projects.
• Perforated Metal Panels Custom perforated metal panels fabricated using TruPunch 5000 CNC punching machines; available in aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, and galvanized steel with irregular TruPunch patterns and custom repeating configurations.
• Screw Conveyors (including Thermoveyor) Custom screw conveyors for food processing, chemical processing, and biofuel industries. The Thermoveyor is a heated/chilled screw conveyor variant for thermal processing applications such as sludge and biomass.
• Spiral Gravity Chutes Custom spiral gravity chutes for product handling in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and material handling; available in 18\", 30\", and 54\" outside diameters, with maximum length of 40 feet in one piece. Three sample spirals available for in-house testing.
• Water Treatment Equipment Industrial water treatment tanks and filtration equipment including ASME horizontal pressure filter tanks with isolated cells, ranging from 8 feet to 14 feet in diameter, for water and process filtration applications.
• Industrial Machine Frames Custom industrial machine frames fabricated to specification for manufacturing and processing equipment OEMs requiring structural support, guarding, or equipment integration.
• Certified Welding Services AWS-certified welding on mild steel, stainless steel, special steel alloys, and aluminum; staffed by 15 welders on two shifts using over 20 modern TIG and MIG welding machines with overhead cranes; Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) on staff can certify additional processes as needed.
• Laser Cutting Services CNC laser cutting services for precision custom metal fabrication with CAD/CAM-driven cutting of stainless steel, aluminum, mild steel, and specialty alloys.
• Metal Forming Services Press brake forming, tube bending, and other metal forming operations for custom fabrication projects across stainless steel, aluminum, and specialty alloys.
• Stainless Steel Fabrication Custom stainless steel fabrication for food processing (USDA food grade), industrial, and architectural applications; supports sanitary welding and corrosion-resistant requirements.
• Aluminum Fabrication Custom aluminum fabrication including railings, panels, fences, and structural components; supports the StellarCraft architectural product line with various finish options including powder coating.
• Custom Truck Fabrication Custom truck and vehicle fabrication services including vacuum tanker modifications, stainless steel storage boxes, corrosion-resistant upgrades, fuel tank repositioning, and vocational truck conversions for the liquid waste, septic, and VAC services industries.
• Architectural Railings Custom architectural metal railings including stainless steel railings, aluminum railings, perforated metal railings, and mesh infill railings for commercial, institutional, and stadium projects.
• Stella Balcony System Pre-engineered balcony system within the StellarCraft architectural product line, designed for architectural specification on commercial and multi-family residential buildings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tripled output capabilities for perforated metal panel production with TruPunch 5000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers35 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Scrap Metal ProcessorsminorOthersPartnership for scrap metal recycling. Scrap Metal Processors collects scrap metal from Astro's fabrication operations including lasers, water jet, punch, and other fabrication tools. Full sheet sheet skeletons are sorted by material type and loaded into roll-off dumpsters provided by Scrap Metal Processors.
• Kraus-AndersoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeneral contractor that engaged Astro Metal Craft for Ecolab's St. Paul campus privacy fence project. Worked collaboratively on engineering solutions for alignment issues with existing fence on hollow concrete block. Approximately 320 linear feet of Stellarcraft Nova Privacy Screen installed.
• PPG Powder CoatingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPowder coating supplier for Ecolab campus privacy fence project. Provided AAMA 2604 finish in Arcadia Silver for Stellarcraft Nova Privacy Screen panels.
• Storms Welding & Repair (Storm's Welding and Manufacturing)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAcquired by Astro Metal Craft in 2023. Located in Cologne, MN. Custom welding for residential, commercial, and industrial projects including welding repairs for trailers, truck accessories, boating, farming. Manufactures Crowdgate system for dairy farmers. Also sells welding supplies and materials. Expanded Astro's capabilities into custom truck fabrication and retrofit services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• A. Zahner & Company (Zahner): Architectural metals manufacturer specializing in custom perforated panels, ornamental metalwork, and large-scale architectural facades. Comparable to Astro's StellarCraft product line and serves a similar architect-driven spec market.
• Ironform Corporation: Multi-state custom metal fabricator providing precision sheet metal, machining, and assembly to industrial and architectural customers. Comparable in product mix, customer types, and reliance on certified welding and finishing capabilities.
• Hascall Steel: Custom metal fabrication and powder coating shop serving architectural and industrial customers across the central US. Overlaps with Astro on architectural railings, perforated panels, and powder-coated finish offerings.
• Screw Conveyor Corporation: Manufacturer of screw conveyors and bulk material handling equipment — directly overlapping with Astro's screw conveyor and Thermoveyor product line for food processing and biofuel applications.
• KWS Manufacturing: Texas-based manufacturer of screw conveyors, bucket elevators, and bulk material handling equipment. Direct overlap with Astro's industrial equipment line for food, chemical, and biofuel processors.
• Merrill Iron & Steel: Wisconsin-based custom steel and metal fabricator serving architectural, industrial, and OEM customers. Highly comparable to Astro Metal Craft in scope (custom fabrication, structural and architectural metals, industrial equipment) and regional Midwest positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Reliance Steel & Aluminum: Largest metals service center operator in North America with significant custom fabrication capacity. Broad incumbent in fabricated metal products with overlapping architectural and industrial customer base, but at materially larger scale.
• Worthington Industries: Diversified metal manufacturing and processing company with custom fabrication capabilities serving construction, industrial, and OEM customers. Broad incumbent with overlapping product categories but different scale and broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• TMR Stainless: Custom stainless steel and architectural metal fabricator specializing in railings and ornamental metalwork. Comparable to Astro's StellarCraft railing line and stainless steel fabrication services, with similar project-based RFQ sales motion.

Regional players

• HME Steel & Powder Coating: Custom metal fabrication and powder coating services operating primarily in the western US. Comparable capabilities to Astro's certified welding and finishing line, but in a different geographic territory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astro-metal-craft

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Astro Metal Craft