Southern Metal Fabricators

What Southern Metal Fabricators does

Southern Metal Fabricators is a privately held, custom metal fabricator founded in 1991 and headquartered in Albertville, Alabama, operating from a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility with a 5-acre lay-down yard and a 35-ton mobile gantry. The company designs, fabricates, and delivers custom carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum products including pollution control ductwork and dust collectors, bulk storage solutions (hoppers, bins, silos, tanks), industrial access equipment (platforms, ladders, stairs, handrails), and material handling equipment (carts, totes, conveyor bridge trusses, foundry ladles). Notable in-house technology includes TRUMPF TruLaser 3030 fiber laser cutting, Peddinghaus Anglemaster and XDM-630 CNC structural processing, and Bend-Tech Dragon A400 plasma tube cutting, supported by an in-house steel detailing/CAD service and pre-assembly-before-shipping quality control.

The company generates revenue through project-based, custom-quote contracts sold via B2B enterprise field sales, with a dedicated point-of-contact model that spans design to delivery. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; each project is quoted individually based on specifications, materials, dimensions, and complexity. Customers are industrial enterprises across at least 18 verticals including agriculture and feed, automotive, cement, mining and quarry, power generation and utilities, petroleum and chemical, foundry, and government contracting. Marquee customers disclosed in the source data include a Lincoln, Alabama automotive OEM, mining and foundry operators in the Southeast U.S., and a large Canada oil sands project that shipped 100+ major units via 30+ trucks.

Southern Metal Fabricators holds a deep stack of welding and fabrication certifications (Canadian Welding Bureau W47.1/W59, CSA W47.1 Division 2, ASME Section 9, API-650, AWS D1.1/D1.2/D1.6) as well as BBB accreditation, E-Verify enrollment, and NAGC membership, supporting both domestic and cross-border industrial bids. The company has been continuously operating for approximately 35 years under founder Charles Bailey, with capacity expanded in 2017 by a 30,000-square-foot finishing-operations wing. No external institutional investment, parent company, or public-market listing has been identified.

Name

Southern Metal Fabricators

Legal name

Southern Metal Fabricators

Website

https://southernmetalfab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Metal Fabricators is a privately held Alabama-based custom metal fabricator (founded 1991) designing and producing carbon, stainless, and steel tanks, hoppers, ductwork, platforms, and material handling equipment for industrial B2B customers across agriculture, automotive, mining, power generation, and other sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Metal Fabrication

NAICS

Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing (3324), All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (33299), Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3329)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components (3448)

akta.pro primary industry

Pressure Vessels, Columns & Storage Tanks (ASME/Process Vessels) (IMAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Custom metal fabrication
• Industrial steel fabrication
• Structural metal welding
• Metal storage tanks
• Sheet metal forming

Headquarters

HQ city

Albertville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Metal Fabrication Projects: Project-based custom fabrication of carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum products for industrial applications. Revenue is generated through one-time project contracts for custom-designed and manufactured metal components including ductwork, storage tanks, silos, hoppers, conveyor structures, material handling equipment, and industrial access equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southern Metal Fabricators is a custom metal fabrication company that designs, engineers, and manufactures made-to-order industrial metal products such as storage tanks, hoppers, dust control systems, industrial platforms, material handlers, ductwork, silos, bins, ladders, stairs, carts, conveyor bridges, and steel ladles. The shop works in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, offering in-house detailing, design, forming, cutting, finishing, and welding services to industrial customers.

Product overview

Southern Metal Fabricators is a custom metal fabrication company offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial products and services. The core offering includes custom-fabricated steel products: pollution control systems (ductwork, dust collectors), bulk storage solutions (hoppers, bins, silos, tanks), industrial access equipment (platforms, ladders, stairs), and material handling equipment (carts, totes, conveyor bridges, steel ladles). These are supported by a full suite of in-house capabilities including steel detailing/design services, metal forming, cutting, finishing, and welding. The company works with carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, serving industries such as agriculture, automotive, cement, mining, power generation, and petroleum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom storage tanks fabrication Custom-fabricated industrial storage tanks built to client specifications using carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum, supplied to industrial operators for bulk material or liquid containment in heavy-industry environments.
• Custom hoppers fabrication Custom-fabricated industrial hoppers designed to customer specifications in carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum for material handling and bulk-flow applications in industrial plants.
• Custom dust control systems fabrication Custom-engineered dust control systems fabricated from steel or aluminum to customer specifications, supplied to industrial facilities for air-quality and particulate management.
• Custom industrial platforms fabrication Custom-fabricated industrial access and work platforms built to customer specifications in carbon or stainless steel for use in plant and equipment environments.
• Custom material handlers fabrication Custom-fabricated industrial material handlers built to customer specifications for moving, guiding, or processing bulk materials in industrial operations.
• Custom ductwork fabrication Custom-fabricated industrial ductwork built to customer specifications in carbon or stainless steel for air, gas, and material transport in industrial process systems.
• Custom silos and bins fabrication Custom-fabricated silos and bins produced to customer specifications in carbon or stainless steel for bulk storage of materials at industrial sites.
• Custom ladders, stairs, carts, and conveyor bridges fabrication Custom-fabricated ladders, stairs, carts, and conveyor bridges built to customer specifications in steel or aluminum for safe access, material transport, and work support in industrial facilities.
• Custom steel ladles fabrication Custom-fabricated steel ladles built to customer specifications for transporting and pouring molten or hot metal in foundry and metallurgical operations.
• Metal detailing and design services Engineering detailing and design services provided in-house to translate customer requirements into fabrication drawings and specifications for custom metal products.
• Metal forming, cutting, and finishing services In-house metal forming, cutting, and finishing services applied to carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum components as part of the custom fabrication workflow.
• Metal welding services In-house welding services applied across carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum assemblies as a final assembly and joining step in custom fabrication projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 bumper carts fabricated and delivered in 4 weeks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cleaver-BrooksminorOthersMajor industrial ductwork customer for whom Southern Metal Fabricators has delivered custom ductwork for boiler and process systems applications.
• ProcessBarronminorOthersIndustrial ductwork customer for custom fabrication services.
• Southern Precision SandsminorOthersCustomer for industrial ductwork fabrication services.
• HudcominorOthersIndustrial customer for custom ductwork and material handling equipment.
• Hitachi-ZosenminorOthersInternational customer for custom industrial ductwork and processing equipment.
• Third-party liner and coating partnersminorOthersPartners who develop and apply specialty liners or coatings to chutes and ducts fabricated by Southern Metal Fabricators for specialty applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caldwell Tanks: Specialty tank fabricator of welded steel water storage, industrial process, and elevated tanks — overlapping with SMF's storage tank/hopper/silo fabrication capability for industrial applications.
• Paul Mueller Company: Manufacturer of stainless and carbon steel tanks, process equipment, and field-fabricated vessels for food, beverage, chemical, and industrial customers — directly comparable in tank fabrication and process vessel scope.
• Mayville Engineering Company (MEC): Publicly traded diversified contract manufacturer producing fabricated metal components, structural steel, and assemblies for industrial, agricultural, and construction end markets — closely comparable to SMF's custom metal fabrication scope and customer mix.
• TrueNorth Steel: Custom structural steel fabricator serving commercial and industrial construction with plate processing and heavy fabrication — adjacent in capabilities to SMF, with a comparable custom-project model.
• Astro Manufacturing & Design: Contract metal fabricator offering custom precision machining, welding, forming, and assembly for industrial and OEM customers — comparable in customer model, capabilities, and mid-sized regional scope to SMF.
• Polar Corporation: Stainless steel tank and pressure vessel fabricator for commercial, industrial, and chemical markets — overlapping with SMF in API-650 style tank fabrication and custom stainless vessel work.
• Flexicon Corporation: Manufacturer of bulk material handling equipment including custom hoppers, conveyors, and dust collectors — directly comparable to SMF's hopper, dust collector, and conveyor truss offerings for industrial customers.
• BTD Manufacturing: Minnesota-based custom metal fabrication and contract manufacturer with CNC laser cutting, forming, welding, and finishing — directly comparable to SMF's CNC-driven industrial fabrication value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• O'Neal Manufacturing Services: Large US custom steel fabrication business with multiple plants serving heavy industrial markets including material handling, structural, and OEM — overlapping customer base and capabilities with SMF but at much greater scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Empire Steel & Manufacturing: Western US-based custom steel fabrication shop with structural, plate, and tank capabilities — comparable in custom industrial fabrication scope but operating primarily in a different regional market than SMF.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Southern_Metal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Southern Metal Fabricators