As seen in the Tried & True Fall 2021 issue
Coworkers that feel more like family than business associates are a common theme among Fratco employees. Brandon Herron echoes that sentiment, proudly serving as the Mount Pleasant location’s plant manager.
Herron began his career as a yard operator eight years ago, eager to learn and willing to jump in. Although mechanically inclined, Herron realized he had a lot to learn on the job. However, he quickly realized it’s not your resume that determines your future but your passion and drive to succeed. “I came in with hardly any management experience, couldn’t drive a forklift and had all these machines ready for me to tackle. Fratco is a company you can grow with and learn more than just job skills. They invest in people because they care,” Herron shares.
One of the most interesting things Herron likes about Fratco is the company’s ability to meet customer’s needs and fill orders even in the most volatile times. This year has proven no different. “We’re able to adapt to market demands and the customers’ need for product. No matter what, we won’t say, ‘no.’ Instead, we find a way to make it happen.”
Fratco’s forward-focused vision means the sky’s the limit for future endeavors and Herron is proud to be a part of it. “No one has ever said that we need to stop producing so much pipe or being innovators in the industry. That tells me there’s always going to be a market, we’re growing and customers value our products,” he boasts.
When Herron discusses what a day at the plant is like with friends, people are surprised by the company’s ability to produce a lot of pipe in one day. “When you roll out the coils and measure what our plant cranks out, it’s close to 30,000 feet of pipe––in one day,” he laughs. That’s no small feat, yet it’s not really about the quantity for Herron, but the quality. “Our customers partner with us not because of the amounts of pipe we produce, but because we stand behind our work. Our motto is clear: If it’s not right, it doesn’t ship––period. Our goal is never to have an issue, yet when customers do, they can count on us to make it right.”
