Ronald Carmer founded Stone Bridge Iron & Steel in 1973, a metal fabrication company that provides structural steel and miscellaneous metals products for the construction industry. The company, operating at first out of a single barn, immediately began reinvesting in used equipment. As the fledgling steel fabrication outfit embarked on a path of expansion and improvement, Ron’s sons came on board. Brian Carmer joined the family business in 1979. His younger brother, Britt Carmer, became part of the growing metal fabrication operation in 1982. A third generation of the Carmer family joined the company in 2008, when Brian Carmer, Jr. started his apprenticeship and progressed his way through each facet of plant operations. Brian was brought into the office where he is now progressing rapidly through 3-D modeling and production control software. Tara Carmer-Bujno joined soon after in 2010 as Contract Administrator. Tara now serves on the board as Corporate Secretary.
Milestones in Stone Bridge’s Expansion and Growth
- In 1981, only eight years after it began, Stone Bridge was ready to expand beyond the confines of its original four walls. The first metal fabrication plant expansion resulted in the addition of the structural shop. At 4,000 square feet, the structural shop building was only the beginning of what would be a series of expansions. By 1985, another 4,000 square feet had been added, and Stone Bridge saw sales top the 2 million dollar mark. By that point, their workforce numbers had also continued to climb, with 18 people on the payroll and more hiring soon to take place.
- By the mid 90’s, Stone Bridge had undergone its fourth plant expansion and began investing heavily in computerized production equipment. A computerized beam punching system, computerized angle line and a 52” computerized, cut-to-length saw line was installed in the structural bay. During the same time period, an 8,000 square foot climate-controlled, paint shop facility was added, along with a miscellaneous metal fabrication bay.
- The start of the 21st Century brought growth in a different area: personnel. While Stone Bridge was constructing a new 80 foot wide by 330 foot long 10-ton bridge crane way to feed material to the CNC lines, the metal fabrication company committed itself to a substantial investment in their biggest asset: their employees. Beginning in 2000, Stone Bridge continued to add estimators, project managers, and detailers in a concerted effort to build their intellectual capital.