History
A Nearly 120-Year-Old Fabrication Legacy
Continental Fabricators is among the longest operating steel fabricators and manufacturers of pressure vessels in the United States. Originally founded in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1903 as Continental Boiler and Sheet Iron Works, our engineering and fabrication expertise has served American industry from the early days of industrialization, through war efforts, technological change and the growth of entirely new industries. Through thousands of unique projects over nearly 120 years, our boilers, pressure vessels and custom fabrications have faithfully powered ships and locomotives, milled steel and paper, generated steam for a variety of applications, processed chemicals, refined crude oil and now find applications in the clean energy production of the future.

Second Oldest Operational ASME "U" Stamp in the World
Quality and safety have always been at the core of what we do. As an early member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), we were among the first fabricators in the United States to adopt the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code when it was drafted in 1915. Our ASME “U” Stamp, number 27, is now believed to be the second oldest still in operation in the world. We continue to take pride in offering quality fabrication to ASME Section VIII, Division 1, ASME Section 1, B31.1, B31.3, and API 650 codes of construction, and our National Board “U” and “R” stamps can be found on vessels all over the world.

Proud Union Shop
The proud boilermaker tradition dates to its predecessors, early blacksmiths, forgers and metal workers. Modern boilermakers are skilled journeymen, using their experience and tools to transform steel and various alloys into the building blocks of industrial production through welding, fitting and repair. For over a century, Continental Fabricators has sought to foster the middle class careers at the heart of the American economy. We continue to do so today, building on over 70 years of partnership with the Local 27 Lodge of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, and we are proud to be among the union’s largest employers in the St. Louis area.

140,000 Square Foot Facility
Although it has changed and expanded over time, our 140,000 square foot facility has occupied its place on West Park Avenue in Saint Louis, Missouri since 1948. This central location in the United States, with transport connections via rail, barge and truck has allowed us to efficiently serve customers across the country and around the globe. Throughout our history, we have served every major refining facility in the United States, steel mills, power plants, various industrial facilities as well as EPCs and technology licensors around the world.

Still Fabricator of Choice from SRU Trains to Locomotives
Today, we remain a leading fabricator of pressure vessels, FCC equipment, sulfur recovery trains, towers, boilers, drums, steel mill equipment, heavy piping and ducting, wastewater treatment, custom infrastructure weldments, and fabricated components for renewable energy and sustainability solutions. We have also developed a unique specialty in historic steam locomotive boilers, conducting repairs of several of the United States’ most prized locomotives as well as fabricating the only new, welded steam locomotive boiler in the United States, which now sits upon the Chicago and Northwestern No. 1385, originally built by ALCO in 1907.

Full In-House Capabilities & 24/7 Shop
With a full design and engineering team, blueprints dating back to the mid-twentieth century, weld procedures for well over 1,000 types of materials and a readiness to operate our shop 24/7 to deliver for our customers, our exceptional people stand ready to take on any job our customers require. We possess one of the largest permanent, natural-gas-fired, car bottom furnaces in North America as well as shop capacities for vessels up to 4 inch thickness, 16 foot diameter, 200 tons and expertise across carbon, chrome, stainless, nickel, alloy and clad steel.

Ready to Serve You!
The team at Continental Fabricators, built on over a century of proven fabrication excellence and industry-leading capabilities, looks forward to working with you, our customers and partners, to fabricate the next generation of mission critical-equipment and components for American industry.
Leading The Industry Since 1903
With nearly 120 years of experience fabricating pressure vessels and components, Continental Fabricators gets the job done right.