For anyone looking to repair a fence, build a gate or install a unique mailbox or door, FredCo Metal Fabrication is the place to turn. And according to owner Mark Beran and his partner, Tom Schroeder, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“We do anything and everything dealing with metal fabrication,” Beran said. “Gates, fences, custom furniture, handrailing; if you can think of it, we can make it.”

Beran and Schroeder repaired an art installation the day they sat down with The Times for a chat about the business, a project many might not even think about when it comes to metal fabrication. They also tackle big projects for local businesses, such as cages to hold propane tanks.

For those wondering about the business’ name, Beran explained that “Fred” was a nickname his grandfather used to call him.

“My grandpa was the patriarch of the trade in our family,” Beran explained. “He had a shop, my dad and uncle had a shop and now I have a shop.”

Beran moved to Arizona from Ohio after growing up in the trade. Schroeder had a similar path, bringing his knowledge of welding and metal fabrication from Wisconsin.

Once he settled down in Fountain Hills, Beran put out the word he was looking for an employee, which is how he crossed paths with Schroeder.

“He does 99 percent of the fabrication and I do 99 percent of running my mouth,” Beran said, getting a chuckle from Schroeder. “We work pretty much hand in hand but, yeah, I do most of the selling and quoting.”

The shop the duo work out of is located at 11605 N. Saguaro Blvd. FredCo can be reached at 602-803-6653. Beran has been working around town for a couple of years now, but he didn’t officially hang his shingle as FredCo Metal Fabrication until this past fall.

“It just blew up from there,” Beran said. “Business has been great.”

FredCo primarily works out of Fountain Hills, and the community has given them plenty of projects to keep them busy.

“Working here in town allows us to keep everything local,” Beran explained. “We buy everything we can here.”

Beran said that kind of hometown camaraderie has resulted in even more projects, so it’s a win-win for everyone involved.

“Everybody has been great to us,” Beran said. “We do a project for a company or a customer in the community and the extra payoff is that they then refer us to someone else.”

From quick repair jobs to big industrial projects or something in the middle, like crafting a brass bar top, FredCo’s projects run the gamut.

“Business stays steady because something is always popping up,” Beran said. “Someone will need a custom door for their home and we’ll build that. Then someone will need a big slider gate and we’ll build that. One project just sort of rolls into the next. We’ll be working on a big corporate project and then build something for someone’s home.”

Beran said that kind of variety, along with all the varied customers FredCo works with, keeps him happy.

“People have been really good to us and we try to be good to them,” he said. “The freedom and versatility of the job is great.”

“You get to meet so many interesting people,” Schroeder added. “Especially here in Fountain Hills, you meet people from all over the country and Canada.”

Beran said FredCo will take care of anybody, whether their project is a five-minute weld or a month’s-long undertaking.

“Commercial or residential, we’ll get it done,” Beran said. “We know that if you treat people right, they’ll treat you right, so that’s what we do.”