WHO IS SJS STEEL
In 1973 our founder, Bill Burch, was a partner in a steel detailing business in Modesto; one of his clients was a fledgling small shop in Stockton called San Joaquin Steel. The original owner was interested in getting out of the business so Bill jumped at the opportunity. Though the shop was actually a very good layout, the company as a whole needed work. The yard was rented out, the shop floor was dirt and the equipment was mostly military surplus. Slowly Bill and his crew made improvements which made it possible to grow the business. By the end of the seventies,SJS was building entire schools and shopping centers along with substantial projects for the US Military.
By 1986 SJS built the entire Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, not only fabricating and erecting all of the structural steel and miscellaneous-metals but SJS even erected all of the pre-cast concrete panels for 15 large cellblock buildings and 3 kitchen/gymnasium buildings. By the early nineties we had built more than 20 prison or jail facilities, including the largest Women’s facility in the country.
It was time to move and expand. In 1992 we moved to a 33,000 sq.ft. facility on 14 acres – we now had the shop and yard space to take on even larger projects! With constant reinvestment in our facility we can service our clients with everything they need. We’ve added a robotic CNC beam line, a CNC steel plate parts processing table, a CNC plate punch, a CNC pipe bender and much more. We possess and use the latest fabricating software to insure our detailers’ work is transferred to our shop and field crews in an organized manner.
Our yard is kept in impeccable condition year round, insuring safe and efficient access to both raw steel and finished product regardless of weather conditions.
Our field crew has a 15,000 square foot rigging loft to properly store and maintain all of the tools and rigging necessary to service any projects our clients throw at us. Full time welding mechanics keep everything in perfect working order.
In an effort to be a responsible community member, we have installed a substantial solar array to help offset all of the electricity that a welding facility uses. At 136 kw and 432 solar panels we have cut our carbon footprint nearly in half, this along with recycling all of our steel drops.
SJS is now being run by the second generation of Burches and even the third generation is being groomed. Our goal of 100% perfection will never change. With only the best personnel and equipment along with “Safety First”, it is no wonder every client we have ever had has returned.