Custom Metal Fabricationin Northwest Indiana
Quick overview
SSI fabricates structural steel, process pipe, platforms, guards, chutes, hoppers, tanks and replacement components in our Portage, Indiana shop, and installs them in the field with our own crews. We work in carbon steel, stainless and aluminum for steel, refractory, food, chemical and power plants across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
What does SSI fabricate?
| Fabrication | What we build | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Structural steel | Platforms, stairs, catwalks, supports and equipment bases | Safe access and solid support built to your plant layout |
| Process pipe | Process, sanitary and jacketed pipe spools | Spools that fit the first time and install fast |
| Guards & covers | Machine guards, belt guards and coupling covers | Exposed hazards covered without blocking maintenance |
| Chutes, hoppers & tanks | Transfer chutes, hoppers, bins and tanks | Material moves where it should with less spillage and wear |
| Replacement components | Parts built to match worn or obsolete originals | Equipment back in service without waiting on the OEM |
- Shop + fieldBuilt in Portage, installed by our crews.
- MaterialsCarbon steel, stainless and aluminum.
- AWS certifiedCertified welders on every job.
How does a fabrication job run?
Step 1: Field measure
Walk the area, take measurements and check how the piece ties in.
Step 2: Drawings
Work from your prints or build drawings for your approval.
Step 3: Fabricate
Cut, fit, weld and machine the work in our Portage shop.
Step 4: Inspect
Check fit-up, dimensions and welds before anything ships.
Step 5: Install
Our field crew sets, welds in and aligns the work on site.
When to call a fabricator
When does a plant need custom fabrication?
Most fabrication calls start with one of these.
- Worn-through chutes or hoppers
- No safe access to equipment
- Missing or damaged guards
- OEM part obsolete or months out
- Process line being rerouted
- New equipment needs a base or support
Specialties
Custom Metal Fabrication we handle
What is custom metal fabrication for industrial plants?
Custom metal fabrication is building steel, stainless or aluminum parts and assemblies to fit a specific plant, machine or process. SSI cuts, fits, welds and machines that work in our Portage, Indiana shop, then installs it with our own field crews. You deal with one contractor from measurement to startup.
Plant fabrication is different from production fab work. Nothing comes off a catalog page. A chute has to match the conveyor it feeds. A platform has to clear the piping that was added 20 years after the building went up. A replacement part has to bolt into a machine that may no longer have drawings. That is the work we do every week.
What can SSI fabricate?
We fabricate structural steel, process pipe, guards, material-handling components and replacement parts for working plants. The table below shows the main categories and where each one gets its own page.
| Category | Typical work | More detail |
|---|---|---|
| Structural steel | Platforms, stairs, catwalks, supports, equipment bases, mezzanines | Structural steel fabrication |
| Process pipe | Process, sanitary and jacketed pipe spools, field install | Process pipe fabrication |
| Sanitary stainless | Hygienic tube and pipe for food, beverage and similar plants | Sanitary welding and fabrication |
| Guards & covers | Machine guards, belt guards, coupling covers | This page |
| Chutes, hoppers & tanks | Transfer chutes, hoppers, bins, tanks, liners | This page |
| Replacement components | Parts built or machined to match worn originals | Machine shop services |
Guards, chutes, hoppers and tanks
Guards are a safety item first. We build machine guards, belt guards and coupling covers that close off pinch points and rotating parts while still letting your maintenance team get in for inspections. Hinged or removable panels are common for that reason.
Chutes, hoppers and bins take a beating, especially in steel and refractory plants that move powder, rock and abrasive material. We fabricate replacements in heavier plate or wear-resistant material where it makes sense, and we can add bolt-in liners so the next repair is a liner swap instead of a new chute.
Tanks range from small carbon steel holding tanks to stainless process vessels. Tell us the service, the volume and the space, and we will talk through material and fabrication details.
Why does shop and field capability matter?
Having both a fabrication shop and field crews means the people who build the part are the people who install it. Fit-up problems get caught in the shop, not on your floor during an outage. When a piece has to be built in place, our crews bring mobile welding rigs and fabricate on site.
That matters most on outage work. Our usual approach is to field-measure first, fabricate ahead of the shutdown and show up with work that is ready to set. The outage window goes to installation, not to waiting on parts.
How does fabrication fit with the rest of the job?
Fabrication is often one piece of a bigger repair, retrofit or installation. On our equipment retrofit at a steel mill in Gary, Indiana, crews assessed the system on site, fabricated components in our machine shop, then retrofit the equipment with laser alignment and process pipe modifications. The plant avoided a full system replacement.
Because SSI also does specialty and field welding, equipment installation, equipment retrofitting and laser alignment, one crew can carry the work from fabrication through startup.
What should you send for a fabrication quote?
The fastest quotes start with drawings, photos and a few dimensions. Here is what helps:
- prints or sketches, if you have them;
- photos of the area or the worn part, with a tape measure in frame;
- material, if your plant has a standard;
- loads, temperatures or chemicals the piece will see;
- your outage date or the date the part needs to be in service.
No drawings? That’s fine. We will come measure. Send what you have through the quote request form or call (219) 386-1506. Done right the first time.
Custom Metal Fabrication across the Region
Certified & prequalified
ISNetworld
member contractor
Avetta
prequalified
AWS certified
welders
Custom Metal Fabrication FAQs
What kinds of metal fabrication does SSI do?
We fabricate structural steel such as platforms, stairs, catwalks and equipment bases, plus process and sanitary pipe, machine guards, chutes, hoppers, tanks and replacement components. Most work is built in our Portage shop and installed on site by our own field crews.
What materials do you fabricate with?
We work in carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum, and other alloys when a job calls for them. Material choice depends on load, wear, temperature and what the piece touches. If you are not sure what a part should be made of, we will look at the application and recommend a material.
Do you fabricate in the shop or in the field?
Both. Most work is fabricated in our Portage, Indiana shop, where fit-up and welding are easier to control. When a piece has to be built in place, or the space is too tight to measure accurately, our field crews fabricate and weld on site with mobile welding rigs.
Can you build a part without drawings?
Yes. We can field-measure the area or reverse-engineer a worn part, then build drawings for your approval before we cut steel. If you have prints, send them and we will quote from those. Either way, you sign off on the design before fabrication starts.
Can you fabricate replacement parts for obsolete equipment?
Yes. When an OEM part is discontinued or has a long lead time, we measure the original, fabricate or machine a replacement in-house, and install it. That is often the fastest way to get older presses, conveyors and process equipment running again.
Do you install what you fabricate?
Yes. Our millwright and welding crews set, weld in, bolt up and align the work on site. One contractor owning both fabrication and installation means fewer handoffs, fewer schedule gaps and fewer surprises when the piece shows up at your plant.
How long does a fabrication project take?
It depends on size, material availability and how much design work is needed. A replacement guard or bracket can turn quickly, while a platform or pipe system takes longer. We give you a schedule with the quote and plan around your outage dates.
Can you handle emergency fabrication when equipment breaks?
Yes. Our phone line is answered 24/7 at (219) 386-1506. If a breakdown needs a part that is not on the shelf, we can fabricate or machine it in our Portage shop and get a field crew on site to install it and restart the equipment.
Related services
All services
On-Site & Specialty Welding
Mobile welding rigs at your plant, 24/7 for emergencies.
Machine Shop Services
Custom machining, replacement parts and worn-part repair.
Sanitary Welding & Fabrication
Stainless tube and pipe with clean, purged welds.
Equipment Installation
Rigged, set, leveled, aligned and run in.
Request a custom metal fabrication quote
Tell us what's running rough. We'll tell you how fast we can be there.