SL Chasse Steel Inc.

SL Chasse Steel Inc. (SL Chasse) started out as a one-man-band in 1989. Since then, the New Hampshire-based steel fabricator and erector has established itself as a leader in the commercial, industrial, hospitality, education and health care markets in New England with a team of 70 professionals. From structural steel for a new office development or medical building to a new mezzanine, SL Chasse’s fabrication, delivery and erection crews ensure the highest quality workmanship.

Stephen Chasse, founder and president of SL Chasse, established the company in 1989 under SL Chasse Welding & Fabricating. “I entered the industry when I was just 17 years old,” he reveals. “I learned the welding trade from a relative and went on to a vocational college. I started my own business when I was just 23 years old.”

The young entrepreneur set out to make his own way as the company’s only employee. “I began to grow a crew and we did miscellaneous metals, welding and fabricating,” recalls Chasse. “In the beginning, we’d do just about anything, but now we primarily offer steel fabrication and erection so we changed the name to its current designation.”

The Complete Package

SL Chasse’s work now appears all over New England, spanning from Maine and New Hampshire to Vermont and Massachusetts. “We operate in the industrial, commercial, retail, schools and medical market,” he continues, “We can tackle just about any new building comprise of structural steel. For the most part, we perform everything ourselves and we try to sell the complete package.”

The company’s capabilities include, but are not limited to, fabrication and erection of structural steel, miscellaneous metals, stairs, railings, joists and decks. The company delivers an in-house advantage with full SDS/2 software, assuring timely and accurate drawings that decrease turnaround time in the case of a design change.

Additionally, SL Chasse’s AISC-certified steel fabrication facility produces quality products with state-of-the-art-equipment. “We’re growing and we’ve made a significant investment in our structural fabrication equipment, along with a 35,000-square-foot expansion to our Hudson, N.H., facility,” reveals Chasse.

SL Chasse has an extensive portfolio of past and current design-build projects. “We can engineer, fabricate and erect a special project that meets all the unique needs of our clients,” assures Chasse. “Our professional and experienced purchasing team delivers the best possible material for timely fabrication and our skilled steel detailers provide drawings in an expedited manner.”

Project Profiles

Chasse says nothing satisfies him more than putting the company’s in-house service to work and seeing the finished product. “It makes me proud to say we can do everything ourselves and see the finished product firsthand, as it was done by our own fabricators, erectors and detailers,” he adds. SL Chasse has made a significant mark on steel buildings throughout New England, from Portland, Maine to the University of Southern New Hampshire.

“We just finished a six-story Marriott Courtyard hotel in downtown Portland, Maine,” notes Chasse. “SL Chasse fabricated and erected the entire structure; all of the beams, columns, bar joists and stairs. It was a little bit of a challenge on a tight downtown site and a bit farther from home than we usually go but it turned out very well.”

The company has also performed various university dorms structures from Southern New Hampshire University to Rivier University and Saint Anselm College. “SL Chasse finished a project at the Smutty Nose Brewery in Hampton, N.H., a few months ago and we’re currently working on two Welcome Centers on both sides of I-93 in Hooksett, N.H.,” shares Chasse.

While SL Chasse self performs nearly all aspects of a project, the company relies on a relationship with a select group of suppliers. “Every job we get we send out a bid to a select few and whoever has the best numbers and delivery dates usually gets the job,” explains Chasse.

Building a network of supplies the company knows and trusts has helped SL Chasse overcome recent challenges. “Through the recession it was tough to get jobs,” recalls Chasse. “It certainly wasn’t easy. We had to become very lean and some days I wondered how we would survive, but we did.”

Now, SL Chasse is back on track and in a period of record growth. “We’ve added 35,000 square feet to our facility and we’re in the process of expanding,” notes Chasse. “We want to do more volume, bigger project and eventually bring on more people.”

After many decades in the industry, Chasse says sometimes it come down to intuition. “I can tell when things are running right and when they’re not,” he admits. “If they’re not going right I’m going to fix it immediately… it comes down to experience.” With 25 years under its belt, SL Chasse Steel Inc. delivers experienced fabrication and steel building erection, continuing to build a solid name throughout New England.