Rio Vista Fabrication ShopWritten by Ryan Cartner Patriot Erectors, LLC is one of three companies in Texas that is dual certified in steel fabrication and erection by the American Institute of Steel Construction, providing a turnkey service in a market with varied demands. The company was established in 1991 as a small-business steel erector, beginning with just a single truck, welding machine and some hand tools. Patriot ran on little more than hard work and a desire to provide a reliable service on which customers could depend. The company grew over the next few years, but by the year 2000, the founder and majority owner was ready to move on. He called on two employees who had been there from the start and gave them “30 days” to find a way to buy it. Parley Dixon and Rex Webb recognized that there was a great deal of value and opportunity in what had been built at Patriot, so they put a deal together and purchased the company.At the time of this first transition, Patriot was primarily a steel erector, with only 10 to 12 percent of revenues coming from fabrication. Under this new leadership, a plan was developed to expand the company to include more comprehensive fab-rication services. The duo’s vision included offering a turnkey service to better meet customers’ needs and to have more control over that market segment. Approximately six years into this plan, 95 percent of revenues were generated from turnkey fabrication and erection operations. Kalahari ProjectRound Rock, Texas3“Our goal was, and still is, to be the company nimble enough to meet the needs of our customer’s project, large or small. Each customer should feel like their project is the only project that matters to Patriot. It’s a delicate balancing act, but we strive to provide the best service and value for our customers,” said company President and Chief Executive Officer Parley Dixon.In 2018, Webb retired, and Dixon had a decision to make: retire, scale back or continue to grow the company to foster a place for employees to thrive. Dixon decided on the latter, but he wanted more for the company, and after much research, he engaged new equity partners and recapitalized the company. In February of the following year, Patriot acquired a fabrication company in Trinity, Texas, with very similar corporate values to Patriot. Shortly thereafter, Patriot also purchased a vacant fabri-cation facility in Rio Vista, Texas. With the new focus and strategy, the company now has more than 178,000 square feet of fabrication capability between the three locations, expanding its support to customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Houston area.“We’ve enjoyed a long history of providing steel fabrication and erection services,” said Dixon. “There are not many companies that can survive five or 10 years in business, let alone 25 or more. Further, few companies survive a succession; we’re on our second – the first at the 10-year mark, the second at Trinity South PlantEERCPhoto Provided By Paul Bardagjy4nearly twice that. It’s pretty unique for a company to withstand all that change, but that success is mostly due to the talented and committed professionals we have on our team.”Over time, the company has gained expertise in challenging, high-end projects using ornate, architecturally exposed steel components. However, the company still supports smaller projects worth a few thousand dollars. Bottom line – it’s whatever the customer needs.The company’s portfolio includes several award-winning projects for both athletic and educational facilities for the University of Texas, many Texas airports, commercial develop-ments, and industrial facilities. Growth has been directed not toward a particular project or market type, but toward the ability to handle the varying scope and complexity for the diverse projects that a customer might bring to the table. “We are not a commodity establishment that tells customers what we will provide to them and how, but rather we aim to focus on the customer’s needs and helping them to find solu-tions. We want to be the best overall value,” said Dixon. “Patriot provides full-service solutions that are worth a great deal more in the long run rather than just being a low price. As a result, customers often come to Patriot asking for assistance on projects with a broader, more complicated scope,” he explained.“As Patriot has grown, we have worked hard to hold onto the culture and values of safety, teamwork, ethics, enthusiasm, and leadership that have been present since the beginning.” Patriot’s leadership has taken care to build a workforce that respects these ideals as summed up by the STEEL acronym, and it operates accordingly, with an enthusiastic attitude and with accountability. By holding to this foundation, the company has earned the trust and confidence of its customers to keep projects on schedule with the utmost consideration for safety. This ethos is the key to the company’s success, and a driving factor in what Patriot looks for in prospective employees. Dixon said his goal is to always be in a group of people who are much smarter than him. “I truly believe that I’ve surrounded myself with excellent people with the highest integrity, who are intel-ligent, driven, and fit the model of what our goals are,” he said. “I’m confident that our team can accomplish any goal that we set our sights on.”Dixon believes that the construction industry can be a place of redemption, where people who have made mistakes can turn their lives around and better themselves by becoming self-reli-ant – not just at Patriot, but in their communities and homes. The company empowers all of its employees with the ability to better themselves while contributing to the success of the company. The success seen in this highly competitive market is greatly due to ensuring Patriot’s employees believe in the culture and values of the company. By hiring the right people and empowering them to perform at their best and be leaders, Patriot has enhanced and refined the efficiency of its operation and expanded growth opportunities.The work in this industry is high-risk, and much trust is required on the part of the customer. By hiring a company that offers a turnkey solution, much of the risk can be better mitigated, which helps to generate confidence and security in the mind of the customer. On the fabrication side of the business, many of the company’s competitors are moving toward automa-tion. This can reduce costs by decreasing the amount of time it takes to fabricate a given component, but it also limits the breadth of work a company can do. Some projects still require the timeless skill of the craftsman. Patriot aims to foster and develop its capacity to work on those kinds of projects while still embracing technological advances to compete in the more general market.Of course, there are some limits to the type of work Patriot can do. When a project calls for expertise outside the com-pany’s wheelhouse, Patriot will provide the customer with references or referrals to entities that might better execute a given scope of work. In some cases, the company will even help a customer manage a subcontractor buyout, all in the interest of providing customers with the best outcome for their project. “Effectively, we want to be positioned to facili-tate whatever the need of the client is – self-performed or just providing a great referral,” he said. Patriot plans to take advantage of the growing construction market while it lasts. Construction is a challenging industry; a hot market is not always available. Patriot is growing, and its Circuit of the Americas Observation TowerAustin, TexasSamsung ProjectAll-Pro Fasteners is currently supplying fasteners, hardware, anchor steel and Class C components used throughout the Structural Steel and Industrial Engineering Industry. All-Pro Threaded products, the manufacturing division of All-Pro Fasteners, manufacture per spec drawings, specialty hardware, and other components.Whether customers need industry-standard Whether customers need industry-standard products or manufactured specials, All-Pro Fasteners has the capabilities to handle any size order—and make the supply chain simpler in the process. Our products are fully compliant with the standards and regulations set by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifications.All-Pro Fasteners supplies products in low carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, high temperature alloys and nickel alloys in Imperial and Metric sizes to any specification. (ASTM, ISO, DIN) All-Pro specializes in dacromet, fluoropolymer coated, zinc and cad plated, hot-dip-galvanized and mechanical galvanized products. A-307 Bolts A & BA325/A449/A490 BoltsBolt & Gasket Flange SetsAnchors up to 4” DiameterAnchor CagesWedge AnchorsChemical AnchorsChemical AnchorsEpoxy AnchorsAll-Thread RodsHanger RodsStuds (Low Carbon/B7/Stainless)U-BoltsBrace Rod Assemblies (Turnbuckles and Clevises)Manufactured SpecialsManufactured SpecialsAll-Pro Fasteners is part of a very small and elite group of fastener companies that encompasses an on-site Quality Assurance Laboratory. Our A2LA accredited Quality Assurance Lab is maintained and updated constantly. Both the lab and manufacturing are ISO 9001:2015 certified which enables your buyers to have complete confidence of critical buyers to have complete confidence of critical application and safety related fasteners. In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro Fasteners supplies a wide variety of value added services, i.e. kitting, assembly, kan-ban, bar coding, EDI, VMI, stores management, etc. All-Pro Fasteners integrated supply group can provide a custom inventory management solution to fit any customer’s requirements.All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently eliminate production down-time, lower product costs, and reduce in-house inventory.EVERYTHING FROM NUTS ANDBOLTS TO INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES.1-800-361-6627Email: sales@apf.comwww.apf.com | www.aptp.com 6leadership plans to continue on that path. It has developed an approach that many customers in the market have come to trust, and that approach has enabled the company to find success in good times and bad. Having a workforce that believes in the company’s vision, its values, and its goals has helped to foster that confidence. After nearly 30 years in business, Patriot Erectors has grown to be a leading steel fabricator and erector in Texas. “We’re in a very unique and fortunate position,” said Dixon. “We’re in one of the greatest states in the greatest nation in the world. If you look at what America can offer an individual, it’s truly remarkable. We don’t take that stewardship lightly. We want to empower our people to see that they can effect change, that we can do positive things. Not just at Patriot, but within our industry, within our communities, and within our families.”Content Developed by Louis Susara | Designed by Lindsay BaileyAll-Pro Fasteners is currently supplying fasteners, hardware, anchor steel and Class C components used throughout the Structural Steel and Industrial Engineering Industry. All-Pro Threaded products, the manufacturing division of All-Pro Fasteners, manufacture per spec drawings, specialty hardware, and other components.Whether customers need industry-standard Whether customers need industry-standard products or manufactured specials, All-Pro Fasteners has the capabilities to handle any size order—and make the supply chain simpler in the process. Our products are fully compliant with the standards and regulations set by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifications.All-Pro Fasteners supplies products in low carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, high temperature alloys and nickel alloys in Imperial and Metric sizes to any specification. (ASTM, ISO, DIN) All-Pro specializes in dacromet, fluoropolymer coated, zinc and cad plated, hot-dip-galvanized and mechanical galvanized products. A-307 Bolts A & BA325/A449/A490 BoltsBolt & Gasket Flange SetsAnchors up to 4” DiameterAnchor CagesWedge AnchorsChemical AnchorsChemical AnchorsEpoxy AnchorsAll-Thread RodsHanger RodsStuds (Low Carbon/B7/Stainless)U-BoltsBrace Rod Assemblies (Turnbuckles and Clevises)Manufactured SpecialsManufactured SpecialsAll-Pro Fasteners is part of a very small and elite group of fastener companies that encompasses an on-site Quality Assurance Laboratory. Our A2LA accredited Quality Assurance Lab is maintained and updated constantly. Both the lab and manufacturing are ISO 9001:2015 certified which enables your buyers to have complete confidence of critical buyers to have complete confidence of critical application and safety related fasteners. In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro Fasteners supplies a wide variety of value added services, i.e. kitting, assembly, kan-ban, bar coding, EDI, VMI, stores management, etc. All-Pro Fasteners integrated supply group can provide a custom inventory management solution to fit any customer’s requirements.All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently eliminate production down-time, lower product costs, and reduce in-house inventory.EVERYTHING FROM NUTS ANDBOLTS TO INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES.1-800-361-6627Email: sales@apf.com All-Pro Fasteners is currently supplying fasteners, hardware, anchor steel and Class C components used throughout the Structural Steel and Industrial Engineering Industry. All-Pro Threaded products, the manufacturing division of All-Pro Fasteners, manufacture per spec drawings, specialty hardware, and other components.Whether customers need industry-standard Whether customers need industry-standard products or manufactured specials, All-Pro Fasteners has the capabilities to handle any size order—and make the supply chain simpler in the process. Our products are fully compliant with the standards and regulations set by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifications.All-Pro Fasteners supplies products in low carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, high temperature alloys and nickel alloys in Imperial and Metric sizes to any specification. (ASTM, ISO, DIN) All-Pro specializes in dacromet, fluoropolymer coated, zinc and cad plated, hot-dip-galvanized and mechanical galvanized products. A-307 Bolts A & BA325/A449/A490 BoltsBolt & Gasket Flange SetsAnchors up to 4” DiameterAnchor CagesWedge AnchorsChemical AnchorsChemical AnchorsEpoxy AnchorsAll-Thread RodsHanger RodsStuds (Low Carbon/B7/Stainless)U-BoltsBrace Rod Assemblies (Turnbuckles and Clevises)Manufactured SpecialsManufactured SpecialsAll-Pro Fasteners is part of a very small and elite group of fastener companies that encompasses an on-site Quality Assurance Laboratory. Our A2LA accredited Quality Assurance Lab is maintained and updated constantly. Both the lab and manufacturing are ISO 9001:2015 certified which enables your buyers to have complete confidence of critical buyers to have complete confidence of critical application and safety related fasteners. In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro Fasteners supplies a wide variety of value added services, i.e. kitting, assembly, kan-ban, bar coding, EDI, VMI, stores management, etc. All-Pro Fasteners integrated supply group can provide a custom inventory management solution to fit any customer’s requirements.All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently eliminate production down-time, lower product costs, and reduce in-house inventory.EVERYTHING FROM NUTS ANDBOLTS TO INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES.1-800-361-6627Email: sales@apf.com All-Pro Fasteners is currently supplying fasteners, hardware, anchor steel and Class C components used throughout the Structural Steel and Industrial Engineering Industry. All-Pro Threaded products, the manufacturing division of All-Pro Fasteners, manufacture per spec drawings, specialty hardware, and other components.Whether customers need industry-standard Whether customers need industry-standard products or manufactured specials, All-Pro Fasteners has the capabilities to handle any size order—and make the supply chain simpler in the process. Our products are fully compliant with the standards and regulations set by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifications.All-Pro Fasteners supplies products in low carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, high temperature alloys and nickel alloys in Imperial and Metric sizes to any specification. (ASTM, ISO, DIN) All-Pro specializes in dacromet, fluoropolymer coated, zinc and cad plated, hot-dip-galvanized and mechanical galvanized products. A-307 Bolts A & BA325/A449/A490 BoltsBolt & Gasket Flange SetsAnchors up to 4” DiameterAnchor CagesWedge AnchorsChemical AnchorsChemical AnchorsEpoxy AnchorsAll-Thread RodsHanger RodsStuds (Low Carbon/B7/Stainless)U-BoltsBrace Rod Assemblies (Turnbuckles and Clevises)Manufactured SpecialsManufactured SpecialsAll-Pro Fasteners is part of a very small and elite group of fastener companies that encompasses an on-site Quality Assurance Laboratory. Our A2LA accredited Quality Assurance Lab is maintained and updated constantly. Both the lab and manufacturing are ISO 9001:2015 certified which enables your buyers to have complete confidence of critical buyers to have complete confidence of critical application and safety related fasteners. In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro In addition to our product offerings, All-Pro Fasteners supplies a wide variety of value added services, i.e. kitting, assembly, kan-ban, bar coding, EDI, VMI, stores management, etc. All-Pro Fasteners integrated supply group can provide a custom inventory management solution to fit any customer’s requirements.All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently All-Pro Fasteners offers services that efficiently eliminate production down-time, lower product costs, and reduce in-house inventory.EVERYTHING FROM NUTS ANDBOLTS TO INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES.1-800-361-6627Email: sales@apf.com 7SUPPORTED BY As featured in3023 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620 | P: 512.858.9100 | F: 512.858.9108 | E: contact@patrioterectors.comOctober 2019Next >