COATESVILLE, PA — JGM, a Coatesville-based industrial construction and steel fabrication contractor, expects its 25th year in business to be its strongest on record as it expands capacity for large-scale industrial projects and invests in workforce safety, equipment and operations to support growth into 2027.
The privately held company, founded in 2001 by Joe Messner Jr., has grown from a garage-based steel fabrication operation into a contractor serving Fortune 500 industrial customers across the United States.
JGM employs more than 250 people and operates certified fabrication facilities in Coatesville and Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, along with a project management office in Downingtown and a regional office in Birmingham, Alabama.
Its expansion strategy centers on increasing its ability to execute complex industrial construction projects, particularly those requiring accelerated schedules and specialized fabrication and installation capabilities.
“We’re building the capacity to take on more of the complex, fast-track work our clients count on us for,” Messner, the company’s founder and chief executive officer, stated.
JGM provides industrial construction, structural steel fabrication and installation services to customers in metals, mining, minerals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, power generation, and pulp and paper.
The company performs construction and installation work using its own employees, including steel erection, heavy rigging, precision alignment, process piping and industrial equipment installation.
Its fabrication facilities hold certifications from the American Institute of Steel Construction and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, reflecting the technical requirements of the industrial markets it serves.
JGM’s growth strategy includes additional investment in personnel, equipment and operating systems as the contractor seeks to establish a larger national presence.
The company expects business momentum from its anniversary year to continue into 2027.
Alongside those investments, JGM is implementing a companywide safety equipment initiative covering employees at its fabrication facilities and construction sites.
The Milestone Safety Upgrade provides workers with new protective equipment featuring a standardized appearance across operations.
The initiative is intended to improve consistency in workplace safety practices and help experienced employees identify newer workers who may need additional guidance on construction sites.
“Safety has never been a department at JGM. It’s everyone’s job, every day,” Messner stated.
The contractor requires employees to complete Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-hour training, while supervisors must complete OSHA’s 30-hour training program.
JGM also maintains apprenticeship programs and provides hands-on technical and leadership training for its workforce.
The company is donating unused hard hats and safety vests from its previous equipment program to local schools and welding and construction training programs.
The donations will provide protective equipment for students preparing to enter the skilled trades, including welding, ironworking and construction.
JGM’s workforce development efforts reflect its reliance on directly employed tradespeople rather than subcontracted labor.
Its employees include welders, fitters, ironworkers, millwrights, project managers and administrative personnel.
The company’s operations remain closely connected to Chester County’s steelmaking history.
Messner began fabricating steel at age 16 and established JGM at 19, continuing a family involvement in the industry that dates to 1898.
His great-great-grandfather, Joseph Anthony Messner, began working as a boilermaker at Thompson Iron Works. The next generation continued in the trade at Sun Ship before establishing a separate business.
JGM has maintained its headquarters in Coatesville since its founding, retaining a presence in the city’s industrial economy while expanding its geographic reach.
“Chester County is where all of this started, and it’s still home,” Messner stated. “My family has been building with steel in this region for more than a century.”
The company marked its anniversary with a tour of its operating locations that began Oct. 20 and concluded Nov. 6 at its original Coatesville location.
The anniversary comes as JGM prepares for further expansion, with management emphasizing investment in its existing workforce and operating capabilities as the foundation for its next phase of growth.
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