When a customer walks into 3FAB Metal Manufacturing with a professional rendering, a problem that needs solving or even an idea sketched on a napkin, the answer is invariably found somewhere inside the 20,000-square-foot fabrication shop. And it can be delivered by the knowledgeable team anchored by the three highly experienced founders.
The owners, Dave Cole and cousins John B. Maggipinto (known as “Senior”) and John Maggipinto (both named after their grandfather), all worked together at an HVAC fabrication shop from the 1980s. After more than 20 years there, the trio got the itch to control their destiny and create a company of their own. In 2006, they opened 3FAB Metal Manufacturing. As they grew, it became a one-stop shop serving a diverse clientele across Western Canada.
“We started the company with a loan from the bank and personal investment 20 years ago. We purchased new and used equipment from auctions and tool suppliers just to get us going, then eventually bought more diverse and quality equipment,” says John B. Maggipinto, general manager of 3FAB. “Today, we are a financially sound company and we’re here for the long term.”
As word of mouth kept the company busy, demand dictated that they add their first employee, a former colleague who liked their approach to business. Over the years, more joined the team and these seasoned industry veterans mentored younger tradespeople launching their careers.
Today, the multicultural team skews younger, especially since COVID, and this demographic is more confident with the technology that continues to push the company forward. 3FAB brings on apprentices and sends employees to school to earn their journeyman designations to maintain its highly skilled team. The team is valued and after years of experimenting with personalities in the shop, the founders have found the perfect mix of professionals who work hard and contribute to a positive environment.
“What is really important to us is the way we treat your employees. We have a lot of respect for our employees, and they return it to us,” says Dave Cole, operations manager at 3FAB. “I look at our crew out there and they are all very good hires for us. Everyone gets along and everybody enjoys working here.”
The positivity and teamwork benefit the end result. Customers know they will get a quality product at a competitive price on a quick turnaround, and those products are definitely varied. After all, 3FAB has diversified its client base, insulating itself from the ups and downs of the Canadian market by not relying on one sector. Whether clients need a simple sheet of stainless steel, aluminum, mild steel or galvanized metal cut to size or a custom-designed piece of furniture, junction box, tank, signage or one-off custom component, 3FAB has the expertise and tools to get the job done.
The company’s eclectic portfolio features unique floating staircases, a complex housing that distributes beer from kegs to bar taps at a pub, custom privacy screens and fencing, and even a 30-foot sculpture called Touchstone honouring the history and natural beauty of The Town of Canmore at Elevation Place. It was designed by a renowned Canadian artist from rundle stone, cast bronze and stainless steel. They are artists themselves as evidenced by the metal sculptures they call “critters,” which they design and build as trophies and sponsorship prizes for events.
Alongside these whimsical items lies the beating heart of the company: electrical enclosures. 3FAB manufactures enclosures designed to protect electrical components from weather, dust, condensation and corrosion indoors and outdoors, all tailored to clients’ specific requirements.
“We do a lot of custom CSA electrical enclosures; really anything you can’t buy off the shelf. The enclosure has to fit the electrical contractors’ needs and be able to accommodate the electrical components,” says John Magginpinto, production manager at 3FAB.
That CSA designation is critical. 3FAB enclosures are all CSA approved and adhere to National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standards along with those from the Joint Industrial Council. The team is dedicated to the safety of both its staff and end users, investing in annual CSA certification as well as quarterly audits of every enclosure 3FAB sells. Customers know that these products meet standards and will perform.
The company also specializes in elevator modifications used to update systems and ensure safety, functionality and efficiency. It manufactures brackets and counterweights inside the system as well as handrails, panels and door reskinning on the outside. The team understands that elevators are part of critical infrastructure. Working hand in hand with elevator contractors, 3FAB goes above and beyond to make sure their elevators keep functioning and eliminate downtime.
3FAB can be so responsive because of the knowledge, technology and hands-on approach that comes from the top down. Instead of passing requests through layers of salespeople and order desks, customers can walk through the door, talk directly to an owner or shop professional about their project and know the team will take care of them.
This is important as the company routinely takes on tough and unusual requests, which are made possible by its range of equipment. The plasma cutter is fast and economical while the laser cutter is suited to precise, fine work. The water jet is slower but can cut material up to six inches thick using a 60,000-psi stream of water mixed with sand, all without introducing heat that can distort the metal. The company has bending, rolling and welding capabilities including precise laser welding, and several employees are trained in AutoCAD to provide detailed design drawings. Rather than sending partially completed jobs elsewhere, the team can complete much of the work, from raw material to finished product, under one roof.
“Coming off the laser, coming off the water jet, coming off the plasma, we do everything start to finish here. We are probably one of the better equipped shops in town for custom metalwork,” says Maggipinto Senior.
In the odd case where they can’t do something, the founders have strong relationships with other shops in town and refer customers to the company that best meets their needs; their competitors do the same and commonly funnel work 3FAB’s way.
At 3FAB, there’s no project too big or small, and the team welcomes a challenging fabrication as much as a routine project. Customers appreciate that and have continued to support 3FAB, bringing repeat business and recommending it to others, spurring the company to grow and evolve with the market.
The machinery may be newer and more complex, the workforce younger and the range of projects broader, but as the partners have from the start, 3FAB Metal Manufacturing continues to invest in people, equipment and relationships so it can lead the industry into the future.