Kempsville High Hits a Home Run with SteelMaster

The Kempsville High School baseball and softball teams can further strengthen their batting skills in all weather conditions!

They held fundraisers to pay for their building, and learned the big pay off when they hit that first ball!  One of the fundraisers was a very successful golf tournament that had many corporate sponsors, which included SteelMaster!

Their SteelMaster battings dome is a model S40-19 X 80 with a large arch, and was erected by Ruben Grahn of Steel Buildings, Inc.

Although the boys baseball team uses the prefabricated steel facility the majority of the time, the girls softball team is excited to get in some dome-time whenever they get the chance!  

The Winds may Howl, but the SteelMaster Stays

Imagine a hurricane that packs such a wallop that map makers would be forced to redraw North Carolina’s coastline. It’s a possibility for the Outer Banks—a 130-mile string of barrier islands which jut out and chisel the ocean’s edge like few others throughout the world. A hurricane bearing an especially powerful surge could overwhelm the Outer Banks with sea water, sending an artillery of 25 foot waves that would obliterate anything standing in its way.

Or would it?

For the past 30 years, SteelMaster Buildings, which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va.—just a bit north of the Outer Banks, has manufactured and sold its steel buildings and roofing systems to residents and business owners of the storm-challenged area. SteelMaster’s owner Rhae Adams sold many of those buildings to their owners, and he is proud to say that while surrounding structures have caved from Mother Nature’s fury, the company’s buildings still stand tall. He believes this is due in no small part to the chemistry that is behind the creation of their tough exterior.

“Every building that has been sold down there has been designed to withstand a 150 mph wind load by thickening the steel to make them stronger,” says Rhae. “Rust isn’t a factor with our buildings either because we use a top-of-the-line steel that is made through complex chemistry resulting in an unheard of tensile strength. We use a mill that produces metal where the tensile strength is so strong that no one else in the world has it.”

Another factor that plays into the resistance of the company’s buildings is that each one is mill coated with Galvalume Plus steel coating which provides a dry-coated, maintenance-free finish that also keeps the building cool in the summer and easy to heat in the winter. Best of all, all SteelMaster steel buildings include lifetime engineering and a 30-year warranty backed by its factory and the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel mill.

So through Hurricane’s Diana, Gloria, Charley, Hugo, Emily, Bertha, Fran, Bonnie, Dennis, Floyd, Isabel, Alex (which made history when it became the strongest hurricane, at 120 mph, to ever venture that far north), Charley, and Ophelia, the SteelMaster buildings throughout the Outer Banks did not falter, and in fact, have thrived.

“We’re real proud of our buildings,” says Rhae. “I know that every steel building that we sell is the strongest and finest-made on the market, and that is exactly what the folks living along the Outer Banks need and deserve.”

All of the buildings featured on the map below have survived mulitple hurricanes throughout the past decades.

Former SteelMaster CEO Patterson’s Spirit Lives On

As we mark the fourth anniversary of the passing of Pat Patterson, we wanted to share a story about his giving spirit and the legacy he has left behind…

Whether on land or at sea, Donald “Pat” Patterson was a benevolent force to be reckoned with.

As the executive vice president of Landmark Communications and president of Landmark’s broadcasting division until his retirement in 2004, Pat was known throughout Hampton Roads, VA as an astute business man with a heart of gold. Later that same year, he parlayed those virtues into his role as president and CEO of SteelMaster Buildings in Virginia Beach, VA, and remained in that capacity until his death from cancer in July 2008.

Ever the eternal sailor, Pat’s passion for the art of sailing was another big part of his life. He sailed for recreation as well as for sport. In 2006, Pat’s boat “Orion” placed 2nd in the Onion Patch Race from Newport to Bermuda.

His love for his family and his community served as a compass that pointed him toward serving in leadership roles for such organizations as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Norfolk State University, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, the Schooner Project, and the Neptune Festival just to name few.

With that in mind, it is befitting that on the 1st anniversary of his death, the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach, VA is poised to open a new reptile, amphibian, and bird exhibit housed in a SteelMaster buildings which was donated by Pat and the company that he and fellow founder Rhae Adams created. “Pat saw a need in the steel building industry for a company that was fully committed to his core values of integrity, ethics and responsibility to customers,” says Michelle Wickum, SteelMaster’s marketing director. “He recognized those same values in the work being done at the Virginia Aquarium, and he wanted to help them further their mission any way he could.”

Dorcas Browning is the president of the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation, the same position Pat held years ago when he was also the foundation’s capital campaign chairman. Browning says that Pat’s legacy is still very much alive among those working with the foundation and throughout the aquarium. “The Foundation benefitted from his discipline, energy, and passion for our conservation through education mission,” says Browning. “Pat’s legacy to the Virginia Aquarium is more than just a building, exhibit, or funding.  He embodies the spirit of dedication to a cause and pride in community treasures like the aquarium.  He is an inspiration to us all, and we were fortunate to have shared his life.”

Storms Intensify Customer's Allegiance to Steel

On April 19, 2011, people living throughout Shelby County, TN braced themselves for a second round of violent weather in less than a week—a span of time during which a record number of tornadoes ripped through the region.

John Davis is one of those people who call Shelby County home. While his house, steel storage building, and the land those structures sit on sustained minimal—if any damage from the first storm, the second storm packed a wallop that destroyed his fence and knocked down at least two large, mature trees.

The trees toppled with a mighty blow on top of his steel storage buildings, which was really of no surprise to Davis considering the power of the storm. He says he was surprised, however, by the extent of the damage—or lack thereof—to his storage building.

'I used the steel building to store two cars and a large collection of toys," says Davis. 'The two cars were not damaged at all, but I did lose some of my toy collection due to the rain water that fell inside once the trees hit the building. But considering the size of the trees, I should have lost everything."

Davis bought his steel storage building 11 years ago from SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA. The company has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures for more than 30 years to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.

'Our steel buildings are built to meet the wind loads of their destination whether that's in Tennessee or on the other side of the globe," says Michelle Wickum, the company's director of marketing. 'SteelMaster's structures combine the architectural strength of the arch along with 21st century technology which allows the buildings to be designed and engineered to handle all types of climates and conditions—but unfortunately in Mr. Davis' situation, those two trees came down with such direct force that they left their mark."

After Davis was able to get outside and survey the damage, he placed a call to SteelMaster's Virginia Beach office to order a replacement building.

'SteelMaster buildings are great," says Davis. 'They are strong, nice looking, easy to assemble, and if you want to add on to it, that is easy to do as well. I can't believe how the building absorbed the weight of those trees and that the cars were not damaged at all. I am impressed."

In addition to steel buildings like Davis', SteelMaster's steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

SteelMaster is Number One!

According to Mike and Fonda Deen of snow country in Packwood, Washington, nothing comes close to a SteelMaster Building. In fact, their recent email prefaces their commendations by stating, "SteelMaster is Number One!!!"

In speaking with Fonda and also via Mike’s appreciative email, they make their satisfaction known. Per Mike, "Please let me say our experience with SteelMaster has been great! During our construction phase, we had a few questions and needed to call the office a couple of times. There was always a technician available to answer our questions immediately. No waiting! From purchase to finish, SteelMaster was awesome to work with!"

After all, isn’t that what everyone wants?

As a consumer, is there anyone out there who has not experienced disappointment with a product after their purchase, customer service before or after the sale, or even in the attempt to reach a real, live person for help? Personally, this writer has found a lot of companies talk the talk but when it came down to it, my expectations were unfortunately let down. When we spend our hard-earned money on something, why are we often made to feel as if we expect too much?

Not the case when dealing with SteelMaster.

The Deen’s began their search for a building large enough to house their motor home and provide extra space for a workshop and storage area. Their search led them to "Google" storage buildings. Their initial findings were disappointing. Not enough height, no guarantee for snow load factors, too big, too small; no ability to customize. Then they "Googled" Steel Buildings and alas – SteelMaster was the first company on the list.

SteelMaster had everything they wanted for their new building and a few extras they had not even imagined! They got excited after viewing the website and reading about the materials SteelMaster uses, the unencumbered "clear-span" space inside each building from the adaptation of the Quonset-style roof, the customer reviews, and the 30-year warranty provided by the steel factory.

Ok, so what was the catch? Surprisingly, there was not one. First of all, the Deen’s thought a building and company with so many accolades, awards, and steel and metal custom-designed material would
cost an arm and a leg. They found pricing was comparable to other buildings on the market, even those with far fewer features and no guarantees.

Needless to say, the Deen’s purchased their 20’x25’ building from SteelMaster. Mike wrote, "The winters here are rough on our motorhome and our boat. I especially like being able to park the motorhome against one side of the building – not straight down the middle, with little to no room on the sides – as would have been the case with other buildings. We are able to safely store the motorhome AND our boat in the winter with enough room left over for my projects in the Workshop area. It’s great having the extra space to protect my equipment too."

Fonda said, "Being concerned with snow load ratings is something we have to be mindful of living in Packwood. After we purchased and constructed our building, we found out the snow load codes changed. We were so discouraged. That is, until we called SteelMaster! They have a solution for everything. They promptly shipped us eight more pieces of steel (four for each side) that would increase the snow-load bearing capacity to our needs. Again mind you, this was after the sale and after construction. It was like they were one step ahead of us and eager to help. It was no problem at all to add the additional steel pieces either."

"Last winter we were able to test our building. Although not as severe as it could have been, we had 2 ½ feet of snow fall with temperatures below freezing for over a week. Our building did not budge. When it started thawing a little, small pieces would just slide off of the arched roof. Oh… and we have not seen one single leak either! We have every confidence our building will be fine with the typical 3 ½’ of snow that usually hangs around here for weeks in winters to come," Fonda added.

Mike and Fonda both commented on the ease of constructing their building. They said after the foundation was finished, it took Mike and the help of a couple of friends and family members only five days. They also mentioned no one had construction experience with anything of this scope, and the "youngster" in this group of men was 49 years young.

It is no accident that SteelMaster is the premier name in steel and metal prefabricated arched buildings. With over 30 years of experience in design and manufacturing storage buildings like the one Mike and Fonda have, we feel confident in our ability to connect with the needs of our customers. SteelMaster has helped over 40,000 clients on six continents, in 50 countries and every state in America with steel and metal pre-engineered buildings that are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities. Basically, if you can dream it, SteelMaster can help you build it!

Fonda said, "You would not believe the neighbors who have come by to see our building and take a walk around inside. They are all as amazed as we are with the efficiency and strength of our building."
Mike’s kind words about SteelMaster, coupled with Fonda’s enthusiasm and willingness to be interviewed for this story made it a pleasure. Showing off their building may literally pay off for them too. They were encouraged and excited about signing up to be in the "Partners in Steel" referral program through our website. SteelMaster can never have enough ambassadors who believe in our product and our customer service.

A California Couple Pioneer Home Building

Many people consider their home a haven from the world around them—a place to retreat from the masses to regroup and recharge.

In many respects, Tony and Bobette Milici of Pioneertown, CA are just like many people in that they consider their home a haven. But there aren’t many people who have a steady stream of strangers knocking on their door (Bobette calls them "looky loos") with questions about their house like the Milicis do. The couple takes the questions in stride, and the conversation usually revolves around one constant—SteelMaster Buildings.

The company, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA, has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures for more than 29 years to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.

People driving through Pioneertown are surprised by the couple’s steel home, a decision the Milicis say was largely influenced by the land they found to build it on. Pioneertown is located northwest of the Yucca Valley in the high desert and was originally built in the 1940s as an old west movie set. Tony happened upon the spot they now call home in 2004 when he drove through the area on his motorcycle on his way to visit his brother.

The high desert boasts scenery that varies from high desert shrubs and wildflowers, to hundreds of Joshua trees, jagged peaks, and canyons with willow-lined streams. The climate has extreme fluctuations of daily temperatures, strong seasonal winds, and clear skies.

"We knew that with the extreme climate changes here, we would need a building that could withstand heavy wind and snow loads, and our SteelMaster can do that," says Tony.

Michelle Wickum, who is the director of marketing for SteelMaster, says that their buildings are versatile in that they can be adjusted to withstand wind and snow load requirements of any local area. "All of our buildings also do not require a coat of paint or maintenance due to a coating of Galvalume Plus, and a standard 30 year warranty," says Wickum. "The Galvalume Plus coating also works to keep the buildings cool in the summer and warm in the winter, plus the orientation of the windows, walls, awnings, and porches maximize solar gain in the winter by providing more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day."

The Milicis also used structurally insulated panels (SIP) which result in a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient, and cost-effective.

"Our SteelMaster buildings provides us with a very interesting and livable home and studio," says Bobette. "The living area is an upstairs loft. The study, bedroom, and master bath are off the entry downstairs. Heat and cold are not a problem because of the insulation of the SIP’s and the sprayed-on foam insulation on the outside of the steel. The upstairs has a wrap-around deck, so we are able to enjoy the lovely summer evenings with spectacular views. I love being off the grid."

Judging by the amount of "looky loos" the couple receives, as well as the fact that photos of their home were selected in 2009 as the winner of a SteelMaster photo contest, Tony and Bobette couldn’t be more thrilled by the attention they are receiving.

"We really enjoyed working with Robert [D'Agostino], who was our SteelMaster representative, and we love giving tours of our home now," said Tony.

In addition to steel homes, SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including Garages, Workshops, Carports, Quonsets, Airplane Hangars, RV Storage, Military Buildings, Commercial Warehousing, and Industrial Storage as well as a wide variety of Custom Building applications including Athletic Facilities, Retail Stores, Churches, Bus Stops, Smoke Shacks, Doggie Dorms, and Correctional Facilities.

Steel Storage Holds Sky High Potential

Often people are loyal to certain brands and never stray. Be it a specific type of chewing gum, laundry detergent, soda, or even breed of dog, among the hundreds of choices available in the marketplace, folks tend to go with what they know.

Such is the case for Stan Saloff of Lompoc, CA, but his brand loyalty in one particular instance is a bit unique—it’s to a type of steel building.

"I looked high and wide, as we say on the farm, for steel buildings when I first got the idea years ago," says Saloff. "I talked to people with steel buildings and finally decided that the ease of construction, durability, price, and looks of all things, went into my final decision—and that is SteelMaster Buildings. As you can tell, since this is my third one, I happy with them."

For more than 29 years, SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA, has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.

Saloff bought his first SteelMaster building 15 years ago to use as a hangar for his homebuilt airplane that he planned to store on his friend’s property in San Luis Obispo, CA.

"I got side tracked for a few years and that building is now used as storage by my friends," says Saloff. "It still looks new."

The second one is located on Saloff’s property in Grover Beach, CA, and features a large garage-type door as well as a personal door.

"I now rent my house, and the tenant is using the building as a workshop doing commercial granite work," says Saloff. "He told me it’s really a perfect work shop."

His third SteelMaster buildings is located at his retirement home property in California City, CA, and will be used as a hangar.

"My small airplane is almost completed, and we plan to start the engine this weekend and have it flying by Christmas," says Saloff. "The wings fold on this airplane so it fits easily in the 16X28 foot building. This way I won’t have hangar expenses ($400/month) when I retire, and the building will outlast me."

How is it that one brand of steel building is able to perfectly fit the bill for each one of these uses?

"Versatility" say Michelle Wickum, who is the director of marketing for the company. "SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities. The Quick and Easy Construction of our kits makes them ideal for the "do-it-yourselfer. The unique design of these steel garage buildings provides security and durability against Fire, Snow, and Hurricane force winds, while remaining aesthetically pleasing

For Saloff, the opportunity to construct the buildings himself not only provided cost savings, but also a little bit of fun.

"I have constructed all three by myself and a few friends," says Saloff. "The last one was completed with the back wall in three days. We figured a very effective and safe way to raise each section in the desert wind—we put a loosely attached bolt at each end on the channel and used a rope with a large step ladder to rotate (raise) it up in place. We used battery powered drill motors to secure the nuts. It was just simple tinker toy type assembly. It’s actually fun putting it together."

Saloff added that he was also please that there was no need for an expensive concrete slab.

"I don’t use a concrete slab, says Saloff. "I just use SteelMaster’s inverted channels lag bolted to railroad ties for the outer footing. Then I dump a load of gravel for the floor. It’s a farm type set up and really works well for my application and is economical."

If you find yourself looking for Saloff toward the end of 2011, you aren’t likely to find him tinkering around in any of his SteelMaster buildings or in any other building at all for that matter.

"The airplane I am currently building is a homebuilt model called a CH701; kit by Zenith Aircraft in Mexico, MO," says Saloff. "It’s about 23 feet long, carries two people, and only goes 85 miles per hour; perfect for an older pilot. It will be so much fun just puttering around the sky at slow speeds."

Arizona Mom Takes Building into her own Hands

It was the fall of 2009 when the ticking of the clock sprung Chantelle Taylor and her husband into action.

There was a man in their hometown of Holbrook, AZ who was selling his business, one that centered on the production of small wood projects, like survey sticks. The Taylors wanted to buy it with the hope that someday, in the near future, the business would afford them the opportunity to both work from home and raise their three children (ages 6, 5, and 1 year old) together.

But to get that dream off the ground, they needed a wood working shop-immediately. There was equipment to store and orders to fill. Chantelle’s husband worked a full-time job during the day, so the couple had to find a quality building that was affordable, practical, and up and ready to use in no time flat.

"We needed a strong building that could withstand strong wind, because it is common for us to get gusts up to 70 mph around here," says Chantelle, who is 29 years old. "We realized it would be more economical for us to construct it ourselves, so I needed a company that would give us a quick and solid price out the door as wells as the plans for how to get it built. We found everything we needed through SteelMaster."

For more than 30 years, SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA, has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.

"The quick and easy construction of our garage/workshop kits makes it ideal for "do-it-yourselfers" like the Taylors," says Michelle Wickum, director of marketing for SteelMaster. "The unique design of these prefab buildings provides security and durability against fire, snow, and hurricane-force winds, while remaining aesthetically pleasing."

Because her husband was busy at work each week day, Chantelle decided to take the building of the wood shop literally into her own hands. "We subbed some of the work out, but I did a lot of it myself," says Chantelle. "I would alternate kids so there was always one of them there with me while a babysitter watched the other two, and I just figured it out through reading books and asking questions. I built all the forms and constructed the arches myself. When it came time to pour the concrete and then again when it was time to raise the arches, I asked my family to come and help. I appreciate the fact that SteelMaster sells a product that anybody can build-you don’t have to have a lot of experience to get it done."

"Every SteelMaster pre-fabricated buildings features easy-to-understand, complete illustrated assembly instructions in the newly revised construction manual," says Wickum. "Using our one-size nut and bolt system as the only fastener and precision-fit components, assembling your new SteelMaster building is a breeze."

The extra one size nuts and bolts that SteelMaster provided with the building meant that Chantelle had a solution for an issue that was worrying her.

"Once I started wiring for the electrical, I was concerned that I didn’t have any trusses or studs to attach conduit to," says Chantelle. "But after I got started and remembered I was given many extra bolts and nuts with neoprene washers, I realized I could attach to anywhere on my building! It’s all together now and working just like we planned. We just worked our fifth order for survey stakes, so we are doing great and the building is a perfect fit for our needs."

The Olinger's Carport

SteelMaster has something for everyone! Below is the story of one couple's decision to purchase a SteelMaster carport

The Journey to Steel—One Couple's Story

It has been said that happiness is a journey, not a destination—and for retirees Gary and Shyrl Olinger, that journey involves an Airstream trailer and a steel carport.

"Our Airstream is our vacation home on wheels," says Shyrl, who lives in Athens County, OH with her husband Gary. "We go to Airstream rallies and caravans around the states and in Canada.  These range from weekend rallies to caravans that can be from a week to six weeks or more.  Most of our travel is between April and October since we like to stay home in the winter."

It was eight years ago when the Olinger's bought their first Airstream trailer, which they kept parked on their property when not in use.  In 2007, a hail storm did major damage to the trailer, and that is when their journey led them toward purchasing a steel carport. "We did a lot of looking and research and found we could get the size and design we wanted from SteelMaster Buildings," says Shyrl.

"Our steel carports are the strongest ones available in the marketplace and are built to withstand a wide range of climate conditions," says Michelle Wickum, the director of marketing for SteelMaster Buildings, which is based in Virginia Beach, VA. "The unique design of these buildings provides security and durability against things like snow and hurricane force winds, while remaining aesthetically pleasing."

The Olinger's steel carport features a unique clear-span, single radius, low-profile arched structure that is supported by a 14 gauge beams and posts system. It is protected by a Galvalume Plus coating, which means the Olinger's will never have to treat it, paint it, or maintain it.

Their steel carport kit came with an easy-to-read and detailed construction manual to aid in construction, which is a bonus for people who enjoy do-it-yourself projects. "Most of our customers assemble and raise the posts, beams, and panels to complete the construction of their SteelMaster Carport without a contractor," says Wickum.

The Olinger's enlisted the help a friend who is a contractor and his assistant to put together their steel carport kit. "They constructed the trailer port in less than a week using theirs tools and equipment," says Shyrl. "The one thing we would probably do differently would be to have made it a couple of feet longer or wider so both the trailer and truck could be under cover. All in all, we are very happy with our SteelMaster Trailer Port – it looks great and serves our needs."

The SteelMaster Experience

…one wife’s perspective

After several attempts to reach Mr. David Smith of Mount Vernon, Arkansas about his SteelMaster Building experience, we were finally successful. Well, we did not actually get to speak to Mr. Smith, but Mrs. Smith was more than happy to speak with us.

The SteelMaster Experience

Posted on July 3rd, 2012 by Elizabeth

…one wife’s perspective

After several attempts to reach Mr. David Smith of Mount Vernon, Arkansas about his SteelMaster Building experience, we were finally successful. Well, we did not actually get to speak to Mr. Smith, but Mrs. Smith was more than happy to speak with us.

steelmaster-storage-shedMrs. Smith (Diana) is a truly delightful lady, and possesses a knack for equally intriguing “sayins” – coupled with an accent that would melt just about anyone’s heart. She was kind enough to share their SteelMaster experience since David’s (her husband) work hours are long and demanding.

The Smith’s love their SteelMaster Buildings and had quite an experience constructing it. “Don’t quote me on the size, but I’m pretty sure it’s a 20’x’30 Shed”, Diana said. “It is a big one, that’s all I know!

Diana is not only proud of their new shed, but also of husband’s prowess. “My husband can accomplish anything he sets his mind to. He has a background in carpentry, engine repair, and can handle plumbing and even some electrical. You know… David can play guitar and if he wanted, he’s good at art too. He could be an artist if he set his sights on it. Have you heard that sayin’, ‘Jack of all trades, master of none?’ Well, that would be my husband!” Diana said with a chuckle.

SteelMaster received an email from David, which is one of the reasons we wanted to discuss his SteelMaster experience further. He commented, “It may not be the easiest building I ever put up, but am I happy with it? You bet! It is a very, very sturdy structure that should last for many years.”

When Diana was asked what David meant by their storage shed not being the easiest one he ever built, she said, “Well, we took our time building it over a period of two months. It was just him and I, and we could only get to it in between his work schedule which didn’t leave us a lot of extra time. We had a little trouble lining up the holes for the little bolts, which I was my job – putting the bolts in the holes,” she said proudly.

“And my David,” she added, “My David actually invented a tool to use that lines them up and holds them in place. I wish I could remember what he called it… some kind of spacer, I think – shaped like the number eight, and he could adjust it to whatever length he wanted. We have a family member that had an invention and went through the process to get a patent, so he knows how to do it. Maybe David should patent his idea.”

We told her to please let SteelMaster know if they do patent their invention, because we might just be their first customer in line to buy one. Not that there are too many cases where people have problems constructing their building, but if we could pass along any information that would help those who do, we are all for it!

SteelMaster takes great pride in our customer service. Help is only a phone call away if our customers have any questions before, during and after the sale, and during construction of their building. We consider our customers our friends and want to keep it that way.

Michelle Wickum, Director of Marketing at SteelMaster said, “SteelMaster is a superior product that sells itself. Our customers know exceptional quality when they see it. So SteelMaster is really all about the relationships we build – not just selling a building.

We asked Diana about any extras they included on or in their building, and her response was a bit subdued, “Well, first we have to get the rich uncle out of the poor house.”
Being somewhat confused, we expressed our concern over their uncle.

“Ah, c’mon, haven’t you ever heard that sayin’ before?” Diana asked. “It means being able to get your hands on some extra cash! As soon as we get enough money saved, David has plenty more planned for our building including windows and such. It’s nice because he will actually have room now to do some of his side work repairing small engines.”

And we bet we know who will be doing the extra work on their shed… Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We hear Diana happens to be pretty good with those bolts!

The Smith’s structure should indeed last many years as David indicated.

“SteelMaster buildings are virtually maintenance free and engineered for life,” said Michelle Wickum. “Our Steel Arched Buildings are designed to withstand whatever mother-nature dishes out whether located in Arkansas, the desert or the arctic. Our buildings are made with consideration given to climatological factors in order to provide protection from water, freezing temperatures, fire, and even hurricane-force winds.”

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

SteelMaster is proud to add Mr. and Mrs. David Smith to our list of happy SteelMaster customers… and friends.

SteelMaster Showcase for Antique Auto Buff

The town of Hershey, Pennsylvania is not only home to every chocolate aficionado’s taste buds; it is also home to the Antique Automobile Club of America’s (AACA) official museum. One can envision or even re-live different transportation modes in time on this stroll down memory lane while viewing antique and classic vehicles of all types. The AACA defines an antique car as 45 years old or older. A classic is between 20–45 years old.

Wayne MacDonald lives nestled in the mountains of McConnellsburg, PA – not too far from this national museum. He is an antique vehicle enthusiast and a member of the AACA. Wayne has amassed quite a collection of his own antique automobiles and “automobilia” (a portmanteau of automobile and memorabilia). Both his vehicles and automobilia are safely stored within the 40’x 60’ confines of his SteelMaster “Showcase” Building.

Wayne looked at several other steel building brands before he found SteelMaster back in 2005. However, it was SteelMaster’s durability, strength, warranty and price that steered him toward purchasing his Model S40. He liked the flexibility of being able to custom-design 12’ block end walls. Knowing he would be storing antique and classic vehicles and not having to deal with structural beams inside a building of this scope was another selling point.

Wayne said, “My masonry end walls were carefully planned to recall the design of automobile garages from the early years of the twentieth century. The front (as reflected in the picture) was achieved by the use of several different colors and textures to achieve this finish. The SteelMaster design staff was helpful by providing signed architectural plans I could use for obtaining my building permit and for designing my end walls. Getting a copy of the plans was no problem whatsoever.”

Wayne said there was only one comment he remembers as not being exactly true from his buying experience. Something about having a case of beer, a couple of friends, and a SteelMaster could be built in a weekend. He was assured this actually is possible when erecting a much smaller SteelMaster prototype, but not a 40’x 60’ Showcase like the one he now enjoys!

The good news is it only took Wayne and a couple of friends eight weekends to construct his building. There were many times it was only Wayne and one other friend available to help him. But being the retired Senior Vice-president of Engineering of JLG Corp. (a high-profile successful company), he still had access to company trucks. He found the 26’ scissor-boom truck was more than adequate to help them get the “hoops” – or arches – for the building in place.

Photo Credit: William W. Smith

Wayne says he only had to make one call to SteelMaster with a question during construction. It was regarding the panels at the bottom of his building. He found the staff knowledgeable and eager to help. He did not have to wait to get his answers, which meant a lot to him, especially during the middle of working on his building.

Although he enjoys taking each of his vehicles out for the occasional spin, Wayne says the auto shows are a different story. For exhibitors, it is not always what they are cracked up to be. “It’s a lot of sitting around and waiting,” he says. And this man is apparently not one to sit idle.

Wayne has room to artfully arrange up to 12 antique vehicles in his SteelMaster. His tow truck (pictured) he says, would have to be the pride and joy of his collection. When he built his building, his intention was to keep it as pristine as possible. Nothing would be placed in his building until it was operational and ready for display. Nothing would be stored in the building unless it was related to antique vehicles or automobilia. So far, he has been successful in maintaining the showcase/museum-like quality.

“The building is used only for display, as all work on the cars is done elsewhere. Four skylights were installed which really brighten the interior of my building. A pleasant surprise from my SteelMaster buildings is how clean everything inside stays. I have not seen the first leak nor any rust either,” said Wayne.

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

Whether residential, agricultural, commercial, or industrial, SteelMaster has helped our customers reach their goals.

Here’s to Wayne MacDonald and wishing him many more pleasurable retirement days ahead – whether cruising on the road, or taking a leisurely stroll through time in his SteelMaster Showcase!

Where in the World is SteelMaster

SteelMaster continues to grow in markets all over the globe, but two of our most recent international projects both come from our distributor in Cyprus. The first two pictures show multiple roofing systems at Paphos International Airport on the southwest coast of the country. They are a part of a construction project to expand and improve the airports throughout Cyprus.



The second set of pictures feature a private hangar used for maintenance at another large airport in Cyprus, Larnaca International Airport.