Beck Steel Inc.

Beck Steel Inc. (Beck) has a well-earned reputation after 40 years in the steel fabrication industry. The Texas-based company has an extensive resume of intricate projects to boast, including naval base helicopter hangars, the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas’ Eiffel Tower, as well as the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Beck’s resume is extensive. As a result, Beck is one of the largest and most respected in the construction world.

A Family Foundation

The family and employee -owned and -operated business was founded by John Beck Sr., president of Beck. He started a small fabrication shop building fireplace screens and foot scrapers as a college student at Texas Tech in 1971, and established Beck Steel in 1972 with the help of his father, Frank (Poncho) Beck. What started out as a small garage operation ultimately expanded into a large industrial and commercial steel fabrication company. However, Beck hasn’t forgotten where it came from.

“We’re kind of old-fashioned in a sense,” admits John Beck Jr., vice president of Beck. “We were built on the principals that eye contact and a handshake mean everything. We’ve tried to uphold these values that were instilled in our founding by not just going from job to job, but honoring our commitments, performing quality workmanship and building long-term relationships.”

“The simple things that have made us successful are honoring our schedules and delivering products on time,” reiterates John Beck Sr. “To do so we have to demand the same from our subcontractors and suppliers. At the end of the day, it’s not about making excuses; it’s about keeping your promise.” This philosophy has allowed Beck to build a respected reputation, making the company an industry leader.

Today, Beck operates out of its headquarters in Lubbock, Texas, and employs approximately 110 highly trained individuals. The company has the capability to service coast to coast in the U.S., but mainly services California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas.

“Over the past 40 years, we’ve grown into a company that covers a wide range of territory and work,” explains John Jr. “We’ve done work mainly in the western U.S., but also in North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and Florida. We can do everything, including large sports arenas, prisons, hospitals, schools, and complex casinos on the Las Vegas strip. We like to go for those involved jobs our competition stays away from.”

Outsmarting and Outperforming the Competition

Beck doesn’t feel pressure from a large pool of competitors fighting for the same jobs, because the company specifically targets the projects others are hesitant, or not experienced enough, to perform. “We perform highly fabricated, very complex work,” details John Jr. “We want to do the elaborate, intense structures that not many are willing to do. We chase the stuff other companies won’t; this is what sets us apart.”

Prime examples of the company’s quality are showcased through Beck’s work in Las Vegas. CityCenter is Beck’s most recent work on the strip, and was the largest privately funded construction project in U.S. history. “In addition to CityCenter, Beck has completed contracts on Caesars Palace, the Aladdin, the Bellagio, the Eiffel Tower and the Paris Hotel,” details John Jr.

The construction on the Las Vegas facilities required out-of-the-box thinking and designing, presenting many engineering challenges. “It wasn’t your standard square building,” recalls John Sr. “We’ve put a lot of resources into our shop capabilities so we can perform more difficult work. This makes our completion line shorter because other companies are complacent sticking to easier work.”

The company’s current work at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) in Anaheim, Calif., will be a game-changer for Beck in 2013. “This site is definitely our poster project and main job of the year,” shares John Jr. “It is a massive public transportation facility near Angels Stadium and the Honda Center that will showcase our special talent in steel fabrication.”

Beck has also completed memorable work at the Robert F. Kennedy Schools in downtown Los Angeles. “This was an interesting project, because we fabricated and erected a new 6,000-ton structure, as well as renovated historic areas of the original Ambassador hotel where Robert Kennedy was assassinated,” recalls John Jr. “This project was great for our team’s exposure and was featured on Fox News and the Drudge Report upon its completion.”

Of course, Beck’s past four decades in business haven’t been without challenges. “In general, construction is a difficult industry,” admits John Sr. “The economy has hit us hard lately. There aren’t enough jobs for the amount of people in the market, but by staying out of dangerous debt and taking on projects others won’t we’ve survived.”

The company is looking forward to more high-profile projects in 2013, such as ARTIC, as well as more education and medical facilities in California, in addition to the current booming economy in Texas.

“We’ve been really blessed over the years to have a lot of good people join our company,” shares John Sr. “Maintaining our conservative philosophy grounded in family ownership has kept us going at it for 40 years. I’ve learned how you interact with people is key in this business. If you treat everyone with respect, you’ll get it in return.”

Beck Steel Inc. continues to earn respect as an industry leader by taking on the most challenging projects with long-term thought and consideration for clients as the top priority.