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General Steel Fabricators Completes 85th Year

General Steel Fabricators, Joplin, Missouri, has completed its 85th year of operation. The custom fabricator has thrived over the decades by serving a very diverse customer base and providing a wide range of services. Serving such industries as: manufacturing, mining, petrochemical. refining, power, cement, foundry and pet food, the company's 52 employees provide design, fabrication and welding services.

Projects include those small enough to be carried, to those delivered in pieces on over-sized trailers. The company works mainly with carbon, stainless and aluminum.

"We focus on knowing our customers," noted Stan Rife, general manager (a 34-year industry veteran). "Then we back that up with modern, well equipped shops staffed with experienced craftsmen. This ensures that we can meet our customers' delivery and quality requirements."

The 90.000 sq. ft, facility houses a wide range of equipment. The latest addition is an 8ft. x 27 ft. CNC cutting, machine. It is capable of cutting 2" thick stainless and 4" thick carbon. Other equipment at General Steel includes: 3 shears (through ½" x 12')-, 3 brakes (through 12' x 400 ton): 7 rolls (through 12' x 3/8"); 4 saws; 3 ironworkers (through 65 ton); 1 single end punch (120 ton); 25 flux core, mig, tig and stick welding machines; and numerous overhead and jib cranes.

Founded In 1915 in Carterville, Missouri, the company started out serving the local mining industry. Moving to Joplin in 1920, the firm began branching out and started serving other industries. During the 1920's, the firm installed one of the first electric welders in the state of Missouri.

Today, General Steel is a division of Doane Pet Care. A sister company, Hawk Engineering of Galena, Kansas, provides precision machining.

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