How do I assess a farm repair shop’s welding and fabrication capabilities?
Look at the welding bay, the machines and the finished work, then find out who actually does the fabrication. Ask to see past jobs and the customers who ordered them, and ask how the work is quoted. Capability lives in people as much as equipment, so check how dependent the shop is on one welder.
Walk the shop and look at what is there: welders, cutting equipment, press brakes, lifts and the layout around them. Ask the age and condition of each, and have a welding or fabrication person look with you. Poor ventilation, cluttered floors or damaged cables can point to deeper habits. Ask about the shop’s safety records and training for each person using the equipment.
Next, look at the work. Ask for photos or samples of custom jobs, and ask the customers on the list how the work held up. Find out how the shop quotes fabrication, whether it tracks hours against quotes, and how often jobs run over. Custom work can earn well, but it can also eat time that could have gone to routine repairs.
Finally, look at the people. Ask who the certified or most skilled welders are, how long they have stayed and what they would do after a sale. If the fabrication reputation rests on the owner’s hands, plan how that knowledge will be passed on. Your accountant can compare fabrication earnings with the shop’s ordinary repair work. Ask too whether the shop outsources any fabrication, and to whom.
Key takeaways
- Have a fabrication specialist inspect the equipment and the shop’s safety habits with you.
- Ask to see finished custom work and speak to the customers who ordered it.
- Find out whether the shop’s skill rests with one person who may leave.
Related reading
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentEquipment valuation: How to do it
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