Metal fabrication or metal “fab” describes work than encompasses a variety of techniques and technology. The result is a finished product or a component for industrial or commercial applications. A metal fabrication shop or manufacturer focuses on providing their customers with items that meet their specifications. The approach, techniques and even materials can vary widely. It depends on the mandate and market base of each fab shop.
Stats for Metal Fabricators in America
The metal fabrication industry takes raw and finished materials, hires different types of experts and employs diverse technologies. Welders, machinists, ironworkers, engineers, and laborers use a variety of metal, including:
- Aluminum
- Carbon steel
- Stainless steel
- Steel
They take it in plate and as castings, sectional metal, and welding wire and convert it into a component that meets the specifications of their customers.
According to 2016 statistics, the country employs around 1.425 million workers in metal fabrication. A metal fabrication shop or other similar workplace may hire them as press machine setters, machinists, solderers, brazers or assemblers. The major sectors for employment are the architectural and structural metals manufacturing sector. However, the industries that utilize their services the most are:
- Auto
- Aerospace
- Construction
- Energy
This affects the capability of a metal fabrication business to be successful.
The Future of the American Fabrication Shop
Investing in metal fabrication is risky. Although a solid venture on one level, it does involve adjusting to the various factors that make it different from other forms of investment. The customer base is not constant or consistent; it is cyclical. It is highly fluid, therefore affecting decisions on where best to spend capital. While solidification is the goal of many companies, for a metal fabricator shop to be profitable, diversification of customers is one of the better ways to achieve profitability and remain successful in a highly competitive industry.
