The opportunity was almost too good to be true.
Last spring, when Daniel Peterson approached KRJ Custom Fabricating co-founders Ken Mehler and Randy Franke about purchasing their business, he found a receptive, helpful audience. By October, Peterson, himself a professional steel fabricator who’d relied on KRJ for products in the past, was the new owner of the Estevan area business.
“It was a pretty smooth transition, all things said and done,” reflects Peterson. “Ken and Randy are still around, which makes it kind of convenient if we have any questions for them.”
Retaining the KRJ name and building on its tradition of high-quality craftsmanship and excellent customer service was imperative for Peterson, who also brought Mehler’s grandson, Kody Hall, as well as Burt Blondeau into the business as partners. Two additional, experienced employees were hired full-time.
“Everybody’s really good in a certain area, which means we can do a bit of everything,” Peterson says. “There’s a lot of experience in our staff, already.”
And they’re already looking to the future.
KRJ is hoping to grow the hardware side of the business, carrying whatever might go in a toolbox or in the back of a service truck. As Peterson describes it, they want to be “a one-stop shop” for their customers’ steel needs. Peterson also points out that KRJ Custom Fabricating is the go-to retail steel dealer for Estevan and southeast Saskatchewan, meaning customers can always find the steel, aluminum, stainless steel, structural metal and sheet metal they require at the shop.
Then there’s the custom work and fabricating the KRJ staff specialize in.
“Our shear and press allow us to shear up to 10 feet or bend the metal into any shapes someone might want,” says Peterson. “We also do welding on steel, aluminum and stainless steel for any welding project you can think of.”
The shop also has a CNC plasma table that allows them to make signs, machine brackets, HVAC fittings, automotive components, outdoor furniture, fire pits and any number of other items that require precise, computerized metalwork.
Recently, KRJ fabricated the sign for Roche Percee – one of the first jobs completed after the ownership transition.
Having worked 15 years in the oilfield before taking on some metal fabricating work on his acreage, Peterson knows the type of products – and quality of service – the farmers, trades and industries of southeast Saskatchewan expect. And KRJ is delivering, like it always has.
“A lot of people were happy that the business stayed in the family, with Kody being Ken’s grandson,” says Peterson. “We’ve just kind of kept the business going into a new generation.”
KRJ Custom Fabricating is located at 122 Mehler Dr in Estevan and is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm. They can be reached by calling (306) 634-9955, and they’re always happy to connect with customers online.