Forging Bridger Steel

Dennis Johnson, the founder and owner of Montana-based Bridger Steel, grew up on the ranch in the southern Idaho desert near Twin Falls that his great-grandparents homesteaded in the early 1900s.

I asked, “How does a lifetime of farming and ranching prepare you for the challenges of starting and growing a business?”

He responded, “I learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age. I actually enjoyed it and made it fun. I knew hard work was going to be a big part of my life and not to stress out over difficult tasks.”

His value of hard work and the joy he finds in meeting challenges are characteristics he demonstrates to his employees on a regular basis.

“When something blows up, I think, ‘We’re going to learn something new today.’ It’s never as bad as it seems and we always learn something. That’s one thing that growing up on a ranch teaches you. There’s nothing you can’t do.”

Bridger Steel was forged from that amalgamate of stick-to-it attitude and hard work.

Johnson founded Bridger Steel on the Fourth of July, 1996. He opened the doors heavily in debt and his own boss—scared, but determined to succeed. The business was a one-man show. Johnson labored tirelessly on the mechanical roll-forming machine he built himself.

“It had lots of bugs to work out,” he chuckled. “It was all trial and error, head-scratching and late nights to get it working so I could run the order I took the day before. It had to be right and delivered on time.”

That “never say no” attitude coupled with a strong commitment to customer service and pride in craftsmanship is still evident in their goals today. “We like to work directly with our customers to ensure people are getting the products they need, as quickly as possible. We want to make sure they’re buying what they need and that the products are properly installed. It’s important to us customers get the look and functionality they need and want.”

Products can be shipped as quickly as two to three days and usually no longer than a week. This quick delivery is built into Bridger Steel’s business model. On-site manufacturing capability and the fact it owns its own trucking company ensure quality control from the minute an order is received until it’s loaded off the truck.

Johnson expanded the business in a manner that supported the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction. All Bridger Steel products are manufactured in the U.S. Bridger Steel manufactures its products at four locations—Belgrade, Billings and Helena, MT, Rapid City, SD, and Casper, WY, which cuts down on delivery time.

“No one else we know in the industry can turn orders around as quickly as we can. We have a great depth of resources from project inception and design to delivery. We control the entire process,” Johnson said.

Quick turnaround means projects can get finished sooner. The faster a project moves along, the less likely it is to remain open to the harsh elements.

Bridger Steel has expanded its product lines to meet the needs of its customers and their increasing demand for its products. Since Johnson is an avid outdoorsman, he has a strong commitment to the environment. Bridger Steel products are produced from up to 60% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.

Bridger Steel galvanizes its commitment to help people protect and beautify their world with their vast array of steel products by giving its customers the freedom to create. Product offerings include a vast range of painted or aged metal products for interior or exterior application, including roofing, siding, architectural trim details, fasteners or accessories.

The Bozeman community is home to two neighboring businesses that are stellar examples of form, function, and beauty. Weebees Café, Inc. and Flying Horse Communication are located next to each other on South Ferguson. Both buildings feature Bridger Steel Products in their exterior design.

The Flying Horse Communication design recently received the Montana Society of American Institute of Architects state merit award for design. Architect Tad Tsukamoto of Bozeman’s Intrinsik Architecture, Inc. was one of the building’s designers.

“We specialize in professional planning, architectural design and building. Over the past 10 years, we have distinguished ourselves as a unique studio with an emphasis in projects that embody and preserve the spirit of our clients, the project and the place. Bridger Steel products have helped us create and deliver our clients’ unique visions.”

Mike Gold, CEO of Flying Horse Communication, said. “We needed to expand our office into a space that reflected our creative services as well as commitment to the Bozeman community and the environment. We were impressed with the Weebees building design as well as the versatility and sustainability of Bridger Steel products and materials used in its construction. We are very pleased with the way our architects incorporated them into our building project.”

The materials of the primary exterior walls of the Flying Horse Communications building are a combination of Bridger Steel vertical Bonderized corrugated steel siding and horizontal Bonderized panelized steel siding accented with red cedar screening elements. The design incorporates aluminum rollup doors and a steel entry canopy fabricated from Bridger Steel products.

According to Intrinsik Design Director Dan Harding, “An architect looks for a supplier who can participate in a creative partnership—someone who is intelligent with the material and who will find that exact material for a precise situation. Bridger Steel has always been willing to work with us creatively to come up with the best material for the project and the client. This made Bridger Steel the obvious choice for the FH building, the creative partnership, combined with an excellent product and customer service.”

Homeowners, contractors, architects, and interior designers visiting the company’s Web site, BridgerSteel.com, will find a number of useful tools including downloadable color charts, project ideas and a virtual visualizer that allows them to pick a building, apply color, and watch their vision come to life.

Johnson reflects on the 15 years since he started his business with little more than sweat equity and determination to succeed. He’s proud of the products they offer, the unsurpassed level of customer service, and their commitment to meeting the needs of the industry in a reliable and responsible manner. At the end of the day however, Johnson said he did it all for his family.

“I started my business because I wanted a better life for my family,” Johnson said. “One of my big goals was to have the ranching lifestyle I grew up with and pass it on to my children,” Johnson said.

Johnson can tick another aspiration off his list. He and his wife, Brenda, recently purchased a ranch and are in the process of designing their dream home. The new home will be as green as it is innovative. Johnson said it will blend with its natural surroundings and incorporate a variety of Bridger Steel Products; the house steel built.

~ Leanne Smith, a former Marine, is an award-winning journalist, photographer, and creative director with more than 20 years of combined education, marketing, journalism and management experience in public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors. For fun, she raises Icelandic horses, trains German Shorthaired Pointers for competition, and is involved in dog rescue.