Growth Trends in the US Structural Metal Fabrication Industry

3 MIN. READ

When people think of the structural metal industry, many picture the iconic image of a group of men eating lunch on an I-beam dangling hundreds of feet in the air. While I-beams are still an integral part of structural metal fabrication, the industry encompasses so many more facets.

For thrill-seekers, steel makes the ride faster, the drops steeper and the ride smoother on some of the country’s most exciting roller coasters. Magnetic lifts increase the anticipation, allowing the roller coaster to achieve heights at tremendous speed by passing the traditional, slow click up the first hill[i].

And artists need to look no further than in the Midland, Texas public library with its fabricated metal Mary Poppins balloon[ii]. Kids of all sizes and abilities can enjoy climbing into the interactive basket or pose with the cutout figures of Mary Poppins and the four children.

With its versatility, it is no wonder the structural metal fabrication industry is growing steadily.

Structural Metal Fabrication Statistics

The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the 2019 median wage for all workers was $39,810 while the median wage for structural metal fabricators was $43,000 – a difference of over $4,000 per year[iii]. Additionally, most structural metal positions carry medical benefits and retirement plans – a tremendous value-add in a tenuous economy.

IndustryNet recently analyzed its world-class database of the US structural metal fabrication industry, finding 2,417 companies nationwide, which employ 79,171 individuals. Last year, only 75,621 individuals worked as structural metal fabricators, representing a year-over-year increase in employment of 4.69%.

The most recent sales figures in the structural metal fabricating industry top $28,825,524,932, with 85% of the finished product distributed domestically, compared to 70% of domestic distribution for manufacturing as a sector. Additionally, structural metal fabricators are more likely to source their raw material domestically than are other manufacturers. Only 7% of structural metal fabricators import raw materials as opposed to 11% of manufacturers on the whole.

Regional Statistics

The Southern region holds a significant edge with respect to housing structural metal fabricators. A total of 912 companies, or 38% of the total number, are located in the Southern region. The Midwestern region falls into a distant second, hosting 631 companies, or 26% of the total.

The Western region nips on the heels of the Midwest with 507 companies, representing 21% of the total number of U.S. structural metal fabricators.

The Northeastern region lags behind the rest of the country. Only 367 companies are located here, amounting to 15% of the total.

Highlighted Companies

Two highly reliable structural metal fabricators include APC Emmert Metal Manufacturers[iv] in Marion, Iowa and American Structural Metals, Inc. in Somerset, Wisconsin[v].

APC Emmert Metal Manufacturers offers a variety of welding and fabrication services. The company custom-builds parts and can modify existing parts. Established in 1991, APC Emmert is the epitome of local distribution, as discussed in the statistics. The company’s personalized services from design suggestions to final product are crafted with the same degree of attention and skill, whether the customer needs a simple repair or the fabrication of an entire addition to a mechanical system.

American Structural Metals, Inc. has provided steelwork in 35 states and three different countries, all from their Midwest location. The company is large enough to maintain a sufficient inventory of raw materials to keep each project moving, yet small enough to treat each job as if it were the most important in the world. American Structural Metals can perform just about everything a structural metal fabrication customer could want, from creating I-beams to coating, priming and painting each piece with its sophisticated equipment and materials.

The Industrial World at Your Fingertips

Looking for structural metal fabricators? Search, source & quote for free among 400,000 manufacturers and suppliers across 11,000 product & service categories on the industrial marketplace IndustryNet. Or, are you looking to sell to structural metal fabricators? Reach 500,000 industrial businesses and one million executives with IndustrySelect, the industrial database for sales, marketing & business development. 

Article Sources:

[i] https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2020/01/04/10-most-anticipated-roller-coasters-2020-iron-gwazi-orion-pantheon/2794528001/

[ii] https://www.thefabricator.com/thewelder/article/arcwelding/artist-breaking-the-cycle-with-welding-scrap-metal

[iii] https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes512041.htm