WHO IS.... "Able Steel Fabricators, Inc."

This section of our news letter is to ensure that all parties we are associated with know exactly who they are communicating with at Able Steel. In this quarter internal employee’s section of the newsletter, we will be spotlighting the individual who started it all Charles J. Clark Jr., also known as "Chuck".

Q. When was Able Steel founded?
A. Able Steel was founded in October of 1975 as Able Welding & Fabricating. The motto back then was “From Tweezers to Bulldozers.” 

Q. Why and what prompted you to start Able Steel?
A. Originally started Able to have a job and support my family.

Q. Did you ever see Able being as large as it is today?
A. No vision was in place other than to see Able Steel anything other than a repair welding facility.

Q. Do you still enjoy the industry you are in today?
A. Yes. It has been more enjoyable to deal with the quality of customers we have been able to deal with, which has lead us to many successful projects.

Q. What do you feel is the best project we have done to date?
A. There are many projects I feel that that were great projects for Able I can’t choose just one. Some of the projects that I feel that have really helped us to grow and change are:

Springerville Generating Station 1982 

Paradise Village Office Park 1985

Meredith Burda Printing Plant 1985

Camelhead 1987

Sun Devil Stadium Expansion 1989

Phelps Dodge Tower 1999

Tempe Center for the Arts 2004

Each one has had its own character and has helped us grow and change in our organization. There are many more that I could have listed but these are a few of the top ones.   

Q. What type of projects do you like working on the best?
A. We like to work on true structural projects. We also realize there is a need to be adaptable to architecturally exposed projects also.

Q. Where do you see Able in 10 years?
A. I see our younger management playing a stronger roll in the control of the organization. I see Able continuing to be a major contributor to the market of steel fabrication. We will continue to grow as the market allows, improving technology & productivity as we go.

Q. How does it make you feel knowing a good percentage of your key management team has worked for you for 15 years or more?
A. Proud to know that we have built an organization that has become the home for many of our employee’s & has provided them the satisfaction of the lifestyle they wish to create.

Q. What organizations do you belong to?
A. Able has been a proud supporter of the United Way. We also belong to American Subcontractors Association of AZ (ASA), American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Welding Society (AWS), and Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA).

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. I enjoy traveling, boating, and fishing. 

It was a great opportunity to sit down with Chuck and ask these questions and get the input from the very beginning of Able in 1975. We would like to thank Chuck for taking time out of his busy schedule to let us interview him.

We would also like to thank everyone who has helped Able to be a successful steel subcontractor for the last 33 years.