The U.S. housing demand, commercial construction spending, mortgage interest rates, and other economic and housing factors such as the popularity of remodeling, the strength of the economy and inflation, all affect sheet metal fabrication industry trends. Niche specific trends come and go, but the sheet metal fabrication industry as a whole is turning toward flexibility and automation.

Flexibility

The sheet metal fabrication industry has been transformed by new technology such as metal working software, CNC machines, and AutoCAD design programs. These advances have helped sheet metal fabrication companies adapt more readily to the increasing complexities of the client.

The scrap metal recycling industry has immense growth potential. Scrap metal extends beyond recycling empty soda and beer cans. Steel, iron, nickel, and copper are also bringing in profits from recycling.

The Immense Energy Savings Created By Scrap Metal Recycling

Scrap metal recycling is often advertised as good for the environment, but it also saves money by reducing production costs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycled aluminum saves the nation 95 percent of the energy used to make new aluminum from scratch.

In the metal fabrication industry, the role of the machine shop versus the fab shop is often confused by the casual observer. They both appear to produce parts from raw materials for use in various industry applications, but there is a distinct difference.

Fabrication shops perform metal preparation tasks such as welding, production, and assembly. The machining shop, however, does the intricate tasks necessary to create complex metal-based parts for industries.

The Role of the Fabrication Shop

The fabrication shop prepares raw materials for industrial applications. They may produce sheet metal blanks, weld together brackets, braces and ductwork, or combine production materials to produce general-use parts for an industry client.