MEET SOUTH BAY FABRICATION
Experience Built Over Decades
The story of South Bay Fabrication began long before we opened our doors in 2004. Our foundation was built through decades of hands-on experience in welding, sheet metal fabrication, estimating, fixture design, production planning, and manufacturing management.
After attending welding trade school at Averon Technical Institute while his family was temporarily living in Canada, our founder, Cliff Klein, returned to Southern California and began working at a small welding shop in 1978. There, he learned the fundamentals of sheet metal fabrication at a pivotal time in the industry, as CNC punching and other emerging technologies began transforming the way metal components were manufactured.
Over the next 25 years, Cliff watched that small welding shop develop into a large manufacturing operation. As Plant Superintendent, he eventually oversaw all aspects of production while also handling job estimating, fixture design, and production planning. The company produced both military and commercial components, providing broad experience across fabrication processes, applications, and production environments.
After 25 years, he decided it was time to put that experience to work building a company of his own.
That experience became the foundation for South Bay Fabrication: a company built on quality workmanship, practical manufacturing knowledge, and a commitment to taking care of our customers.
Starting Small & Building on Trust
South Bay Fabrication began in 2004 with just two people, a few machines, and a 2,500-square-foot shop in Gardena, California. Our goal was straightforward: provide quality fabrication backed by dependable service.
The relationships and reputation our founder had built during his first 25 years in manufacturing gave us an important head start. Engineers and purchasing professionals who were already familiar with his work began bringing their projects to South Bay Fabrication. Rather than building our customer base from scratch, we grew organically through existing relationships, referrals, and a reputation for getting the job done.
Those early customers and the trust they placed in us established a foundation that continues to shape South Bay Fabrication today.
Milestones Along the Way
2008 | Expanding into Signage
Another major opportunity arrived in 2008, when we began producing signage for one of the world's largest coffee retailers.
The work brought us into an entirely different industry while creating enough demand to require additional space and employees. We continued operating in Gardena for approximately eight years as our customer base, workforce, and capabilities expanded.
2015 | Growing into Huntington Beach
Eventually, we outgrew our original location and moved into a 9,600-square-foot facility in Huntington Beach, California.
The move gave us room to continue adding employees, equipment, and production capacity. What began as a two-person operation with only a handful of machines had grown into a full-service metal fabrication company serving customers across a diverse range of industries.
2026 | Investing in the Next Generation of Manufacturing Equipment
Throughout our history, we've continued to update and modernize our equipment as manufacturing technology has evolved.
One of our most significant recent investments has been the addition of fiber laser cutting technology, dramatically improving cutting speed and efficiency while expanding our production capabilities.
Our ability to produce complex, high-quality parts hasn't changed. What has changed is how efficiently we can produce them. Today's technology allows us to tackle demanding fabrication work with greater speed, precision, consistency, and productivity than ever before.
Built for More than One Industry
Our experience spans a diverse range of industries and applications, including machine manufacturing, architectural fabrication, airport security, and signage.
That variety has helped us build a team capable of adapting to different project requirements, production needs, and customer expectations.
But regardless of industry or project size, we operate on a simple principle:
Every customer is important.
From a one-time project to an ongoing production relationship, we bring the same commitment to quality, attention, and dependable service.
Relationships Measured in Decades
Some of our larger customers have worked with us for 15 years or more.
That's something we're particularly proud of because those relationships represent more than the quality of the parts leaving our shop. They reflect years of standing behind our work, keeping our commitments, providing exceptional service, and working alongside our customers to get projects done right.
We don't take those relationships for granted. Whether you've worked with us for 15 years or you're requesting a quote for the first time, our goal is to provide the same level of service and attention.
The Technology has Changed. Our Principles Haven't.
We've come a long way from our original 2,500-square-foot, two-person shop. Our facility is larger. Our team has grown. Our equipment is more advanced. And the range of work we can perform has expanded significantly.
What hasn't changed are the principles behind our business:
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Quality workmanship
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On-time delivery
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Fair, competitive pricing
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Exceptional customer service
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Standing behind our work
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Keeping our commitments
Those principles helped us grow from a small Gardena fabrication shop into the company we are today, and they remain at the heart of everything we do.
