Continental Fabricators Inc. (CFI) is an already established name in fabricating among refineries around the West Coast area of the U.S. Currently, the company is growing its presence on the Gulf Coast, and the leader of that movement is John Sloan. BIC Magazine recently visited with Sloan to learn more about his involvement in CFI's growth.
Q: What led to your position at CFI?
A: Actually, I was referred to Continental Fabricators by BIC Recruiting. They knew I was looking to add a partner company to my consulting group. We work with a few select companies to help them grow their business reach into the Gulf Coast. I partnered with CFI in February 2016.
Q: What is the biggest news at CFI right now?
A: There are a lot of things happening for Continental Fabricators right now. We have a major expansion in the shop facility underway, and we've recently added some excellent key personnel. I'd say the biggest news is the increase in overall business. We've really seen a spike in activity, especially in the Gulf Coast, and it appears that trend is growing. We've been fortunate to create and grow great relationships during last year's slowdown and are pleased to be working with these folks as business is picking up.
Q: Are you looking to grow in new markets or expand in current ones?
A: Continental Fabricators is extremely established in refineries and is particularly well-known for FCCU components and other complicated fabrications. With our full-service capabilities (engineering, design, plate rolling, on-site furnace, etc.), we can handle things in-house other fabricators can't. The capabilities required to become a leader in that arena translate into a number of others in petrochem, syngas, midstream, etc. We are seeing a rise in inquiries from efforts made in these related markets.
Q: What type of clients mesh best with your style?
A: People do business with people. As such, I focus on integrity, relationships and communication. The vast majority of problems in business come from an inability or unwillingness to clearly communicate. Good relationships foster openness and honesty in business, as they do in our personal lives. Our best clients are always straightforward people of integrity. We have the same kind of leadership in our offices in St. Louis. Clients enjoy working with our management, because they genuinely care about providing good service and quality fabrication.
Q: How do you maintain a good work/home life balance?
A: My wife, Debbie, and I work with Continental Fabricators through our consulting company, Sloan Rangers. Debbie helps with marketing, emails and promotional events. Working together really helps us integrate home and work. In addition to providing consulting services for select companies like CFI, I also provide coaching services for Christian executives through a professional peer group association called Leaven Exchange. Our mission is actually to help business executives integrate the three chords of their lives: business, faith and family. Studying and coaching helps me apply these same concepts to my life. Without getting into too many details, I would suggest to others that it's less about "balance," which could indicate separation, and more about integration of the different aspects of our lives. Each part of our lives can and should support the others.
For more information, visit www.confabinc. com or call Sloan directly at (713) 805-7420.
