JOE BRIESE, BRIESE IRON WORKS, INC.
CEO Profile
and perform automated welding. These machines allow our skilled fabricators to focus on work that cannot be automated. A common concern we hear is, “The robot is going to take my job.” In our experience, every piece of equipment we’ve added has freed our people to do higher-value work. Machines don’t eliminate jobs—they expand what we’re able to produce and evolve the work our people do. How has Briese Iron Works evolved since it started over 30 years ago to meet those changes to the industry? We are growing! Two years ago, most of our work consisted of light structural steel, stairs, and railings within a five- state region. Today, we operate coast-to-coast and have added a sales office in Salina, Kansas. We have doubled the size of our shop to 60,000 square feet, added a shot blaster to improve paint quality and efficiency, and built a new truss bay with 30-ton lifting capacity—up from 10 tons in our previous facility. We are now fabricating three-plate crane girders and metal building sections, which represents a new level of complexity for our operation. In short, the work is heavier, more complex, and further away.
As you look ahead to the future, what do you see as the outlook for the steel fabrication industry as well as for Briese Iron Works? I am incredibly proud of our team at Briese Iron Works. The operational changes we’ve made have been substantial, and the complexity of our work has increased significantly. Our people have consistently risen to every challenge, and it has been rewarding to see individuals step up, grow, and develop new capabilities. We are now positioned to offer more comprehensive services than many fabricators in the industry. Our eight- person, in-house detailing department produces all of our shop drawings, while many fabricators rely on third-party detailing firms overseas. This allows us to maintain high quality standards and respond to questions and issues much more quickly. Additionally, our shop is capable of fabricating light structural steel, three-plate members, trusses, stairs, railings, and miscellaneous steel simultaneously. This level of capability is uncommon in the industry and allows us to control quality and schedule internally so we can be sure we are taking care of our customers.
To read more about Briese Iron Works, Inc., visit https://brieseiron.com
FEBRUARY 2026 — ROCHESTER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVANTAGE MAGAZINE | 15
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