COMPANY HISTORY

In 1960 William J. Graves, using the dining room table as a desk, started Graves Sheet Metal. The company was staffed only by he and his wife. Without the resources to hire union trained employees, William reached out to friends, asking for help in providing the skilled labor he sought. Building a company from nothing, William declaired, "If it's made of metal, We can make it." To William, this was not just a catchy phrase, it was a guarantee that his customers would receive only the highest quality products, made from the hands of highly skilled sheet metal craftsmen.

As the company began to grow, William's children Mark and Karen began to show interest in the company. The two of them would learn from their parents over the coming years. Some years later, another child of Williams would join the team, his son William K. Graves or Billy Graves. Mark and Billy would shortly receive their journeyman certification from the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union #20. Still at the helm of Graves Sheet Metal, William J. would reach out to his youngest son, Charles Graves. After several months of discussion with his father, Charles would return to Kokomo, IN to join his father, and elder siblings at Graves Sheet Metal.

Now advanced in age, Graves Sheet Metal's founder began to gradually relinquish the company to his children. In 1996, William divided his ownersihp into four equal parts, and sold them to four of his five children, Mark, Karen, William K., and Charles Graves.

After Williams retirement in 1996, his children have continued to opperate under his original promise, "If it's made of metal, We can make it."

Mark Graves would be named the president of Graves Sheet Metal. Under his leadership, GSM would excel to the front of the sheet metal industry. Mark would now sit at the helm of Graves for eighteen years. Mark would develop a corporate relation ship as a direct HVAC supplier to Chrsyler Group LLC, and Delphi Electronics and Safety plants in the Kokomo area. As Mark had also devoted a life to the company, he too would now be poised on retirement. In Janurary 2014 Mark would make his retirement official. He would be handing his title and a vast family history into the hands of his youngest brother Charles.

As the newest president of Graves Sheet Metal, Charles's vision for the future of Graves is limitless. With an array of family experirence and his education, the future surely looks bright. In his very young presidency, Charles has also developed professional relationship with other corporations, and seeks to maintain the companies existing relationships.

The Mission of Graves Sheet Metal

No project, is too big, or too small for our skilled craftsmen to complete. This ideology became the inspiration for GSM's motto: "If it's made of metal, We can make it."

Our success here at GSM comes from our dedicated office staff, our experienced employees in our fabrication facility, our workers "Can Do Attitude" on the job sites, and above all the customers who provide GSM with the opportunity to exceed their expectations.

The employees of GSM work together as a team, to move towards an endeavor pursued by each member:

To produce a product that doesn't simply meet the needs of our clients, but exceeds any preconcieved expectations, to construct objects of the highest possible quality and craftsman willing to place oursleves above the competition, and to retribute the community in which we serve.