Weldall Mfg. Inc.: Molding Metal with Ingenuity

Dave Bahl Sr. founded Weldall Mfg. Inc. (Weldall) in 1972 as a part-time welding operation, leasing a single machine to work on small projects. Bahl Sr. then incorporated Weldall in 1974 after the team had grown to five employees, and continued success required Weldall’s first physical expansion later that same year. From the beginning, Bahl Sr. and his team have focused on utilizing technology and collective experience to provide industrial manufacturing solutions to customers in a variety of fields.

Today, Bahl Sr. describes Weldall as a full-service, metal fabrication job shop. “We work with all varieties of carbon steel, stainless and aluminum,” he says. “We use all grades of material, but our niche truly lies in heavy to medium requirements. We can handle up to 200 tons.”

Weldall has now grown to employ 273 people at a facility in Waukesha, Wisc., that encompasses over 220,000 square feet. The company’s facility is highlighted on Weldall’s recently updated website, www.Weldallmfg.com, which hosts an interactive virtual tour.

Industries and Specifications

“If you can design it, we can build it” is Wendall’s motto, which is backed by decades of experience and a team of talented individuals. The team’s unique skills allow Weldall to ensure only the highest quality service to all industries that require mining, energy, heavy construction or wastewater treatment. The team also manufactures components for automation and production equipment, including oversized vacuum chambers – which are used to produce high-efficiency glass – and other weldments to support and properly position robotic production equipment.

The company is involved in several sectors of the energy industry – from green technology to nuclear plants. The team constructs components for nuclear systems manufacturers and, while Weldall does not possess the necessary “N” stamp for direct supply, many of the company’s weldments are used in further assembly by clients who possess it.

Weldall has also built structural frames that support wind turbine tower assemblies. The company has also entered agreements with wind turbine manufacturers to provide the internal rotating components. In addition, the company has developed a worldwide presence with components for power generation facilities, working directly with power companies and suppliers. Weldall’s scope of projects includes utility-scale electrical transformers, conveyance ductwork and other heavy plate fabrications.

Weldall manufactures heavy-duty products that can withstand a variety of elements and stresses. The team has built parts for construction equipment, like the first tower crane for China’s Three Gorges Dam and specialty frames for crane trucks and other heavy machinery. The company works for materials handling operations, constructing durable equipment that can handle large loads. Weldall’s cranes, conveyors and more embody quality workmanship and are built to last. Mining, rail and municipal projects require similar attention to detail and durability and are well within Weldall’s skill set.

According to Bahl Sr., most people would not typically associate the heavy products that Weldall excels at manufacturing with requirements in the medical industry. However, recent developments in the field of proton therapy for treating cancer have opened a new need for very heavy, highly critical weldments that are a perfect fit. Weldall has provided each of the four main weldments, totaling over 205,000 pounds, required for a rotating gantry for such an application, as well as stands ready to participate in the extraordinary partnership in the future.

Smooth Sailing

While many manufacturers have struggled throughout a rough economy, Bahl Sr. says Weldall is going strong. “Honestly, we got through the recession just fine,” he says. “We’re growing and we’re constantly looking to hire.” The business’ unique niche, as well as a high level of attention to quality and functionality in finished products, sets the team apart from other manufacturers.

The company works with a time-tested, trusted network of suppliers and subcontractors to ensure materials and applications are up to the standards of Weldall’s customers and respective industries. “We perform most everything internally,” says Bahl Sr. “We don’t do any heat treating or stress work, so that can be subbed. One of our subcontractors is pretty much right next-door. We have a set network of reliable partners, but we work outside of that when we need to.”

The Weldall facility has been certified by UL DQS Inc. to ISO 9001:2008. The company utilizes an ongoing improvement program to analyze, manage and modify materials and practices in order to better serve clients. Employees on every level are all involved in quality control. All welders are AWS D1.1 certified and the company’s quality department includes a AWS-certified welding educator (CWE) and four AWS-certified welding inspectors (CWI).

Products are tested, inspected and documented to ensure all points have been covered before being sent off to customers. Weldall is also an ASME code certificate holder of the “U” and “R” stamps, which allows the company to expand its offerings to include weldments in these unique applications.

This commitment to quality has garnered respect from well-known customers around the country and abroad. “Seventy-five to 80 percent of our customers are within a 50- to 100-mile radius,” Bahl Sr. explains. “We’ve done some East Coast and southern work.” Additionally, many of Weldall’s clients have a global presence. While a client’s business may be based in the U.S., Weldall’s products end up on sites and in facilities on most every continent.

In 2013 Weldall will celebrate 41 years in business. Bahl Sr. says his team has not slowed down yet, and does not intend to any time soon. “We’re looking at continued growth,” says Bahl Sr. Business is booming, and Weldall is even hiring in hopes to add to its already well-respected team, which will continue to provide top service to customers. The company is already a preferred vendor for several Fortune 500 companies. Bahl Sr. and the team will continue to improve upon Weldall Mfg. Inc.’s leading position in the manufacturing industry.