2008 Dynamic Dozen, No. 4: Southern Trades LLC

Stockton-based Southern Trades LLC, which opened in 1997, posted revenues of $18 million last year, up from $7.6 million in 2006 and $6 million in 2005.

“I never envisioned it growing to this size until the last few years,” Zitting said. “You have to visualize your growth ahead of time.”

Zitting grew up on a farm in central Utah and used his welding knowledge to work steel on his own for several years.

“Farm boys all know how to weld,” Zitting said. “You know basic labor. It seemed like a good thing to get into.”

After a few years as a heavy equipment operator, which required a lot of time on the road, Zitting wanted something more stable.

He moved to the Ozarks after visiting his brother, Guy, who already lived in southwest Missouri.

Zitting owns Southern Trades with Guy, who is president; and his brother-in-law, Tim Broadbent, purchasing manager.

Southern Trades has worked with some of the biggest names in retail, including The Home Depot, Lowe’s, PetSmart, Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The company’s first job with Bass Pro Shops is under way near Stockton, Calif.

The company’s growth is largely driven by word-of-mouth, Zitting said.

“We put a lot of energy into solving problems on the job site,” he added. “There are always problems on a job site. Sometimes it’s our fault, sometimes it’s someone (else’s) fault.”

Southern Trades takes care of sales and engineering and sends fabrication to shops with which company leaders have cultivated solid relationships, Zitting said.

“We’ve kind of evolved into a broker to a degree. … We have developed really good relationships with the shops,” he added. “They’re kind of like sister companies.”

Southern Trades’ ability to do detailing design work in-house shortens the process for clients, which Zitting said is a plus.

“Detailing is usually the weak spot of most fabrication businesses – detailing and sales,” he said. “And that’s our strong spot.”

Forming what Zitting called “alliances” with other companies contributed to Southern Trades’ huge revenue jump last year, he said. There’s a Dallas outfit, for instance, that likes fabricating but prefers to leave the sales and detailing to Southern Trades.

“There was focused, deliberate growth (last) year … and we’re very deliberate about expansion,” Zitting said.

Future growth will include more institutional clients, he said, noting that multilevel structures require higher-grade work, yield a higher margin and provide additional challenges.

“I think that’s one of the things that sets us apart … a willingness to be flexible and open-minded about business and to pursue new avenues in the marketplace,” added Randy Steele, who’s in charge of project acquisitions for Southern Trades.

Since joining Southern Trades 18 months ago, Steele has seen the company branch out into the government, academic and medical sectors.

“I think the potential for our growth is way beyond our capacity to put into words,” Steele said. “Every once in a while, a company lands in a neat little niche. That’s where we are right now.

“I’ve been in sales and marketing since I was 17. I’ve never seen anything like it in 35 years.”[[In-content Ad]]