Superior Duct Fabrication

Trust. Hard work. Quality.

By / Robin Brunet • Photos courtesy of Superior Duct Fabrication

When Mike Hilgert opened Superior Duct Fabrication in Pomona, California, in 2002, his primary goal was to excel in his chosen trade and provide for his family. “I’d always wanted to own a small sheet metal company and run it well,” he says. “I just had no idea where it would take me.”

Now, as Superior edges closer to its 20th anniversary, Hilgert pauses to consider his current circumstances. Superior is the leading manufacturer of ductwork and sheet metal products for the HVAC industry on the west coast, with a growing presence in Las Vegas, Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon. Over 275 employees have facilitated the company’s growth, aided by being members of Locals 105 and 88 in Nevada, and Local 104 in Camarillo, California.

Over the years, Hilgert and his team have completed a wide array of notable projects in California and Nevada, including the Morongo Casino, Allegiant (Raiders) Stadium, and Tesla Giga Factory. Other clients have included Disneyland, Paramount and Universal studios, a variety of airlines, automotive giants, major universities, and hospitals.

Hilgert discusses his company in an amiable and easy-going fashion, and he laughs when he is reminded that he has achieved all this and is still a young 55. “I was obliged to work hard: I’ve got five daughters!” he says. “Fortunately, two of them—Taylor and Ashley—are now heavily involved in the sales side of the business.”

Taylor Hilgert-Mortensen, Superior’s sales director, says, “The key to our success is to never deviate from our core values. As Dad has stated many times, we don’t just want a client’s next job. We want the next ten years’ of jobs, and in order to get them we need their trust. We earn trust by providing outstanding work. It sounds easy on paper, but it takes time and a lot of effort.”

Hilgert was introduced to the sheet metal trade at 19. “I wanted to be the best at whatever I did,” he recalls. “I liked working with my hands, so I went through apprenticeship.” The birth of his first daughter a year later doubly motivated him to forge a career.

For the next 16 years, Hilgert perfected his skills with another manufacturer. “I worked my way up to become supervisor, but after the owner died in 1997, I thought it was a good time to start planning a venture of my own.”

After purchasing equipment from a small company, Hilgert gave his notice, and the rest is history. But hard won history. “I had an incredible break in getting about $300,000 of equipment for only $40,000, but for the first couple of years it was non-stop work to develop a solid client base,” he says. “I had a shower and a couch in my office, both in constant use.”

The project that first put Superior on the map was undoubtedly Morongo Casino, which Superior won before the company was even fully set up.

“That was huge for us,” Hilgert says. Superior quickly grew thanks to good word of mouth and a healthy mix of experienced journeymen, certified welders, and well-trained apprentices who enabled the company to steadily broaden its scope of work and shop space (currently at 210,000 square feet).

Hilgert enjoys a close and active relationship with SMACNA Southern California. “I’m the immediate past president and sit on the board, and even though my colleagues are business competitors, we feel like family,” he says.

Meanwhile, Superior keeps growing. In 2019, it branched out to central and northern California with a new facility in Camarillo. “And we’re getting jobs in new states such as in Texas, where we’re helping to build a Tesla truck factory,” Mortensen says.

As he surveys a long list of projects currently underway (including jobs for Boeing and Amazon), Hilgert again professes to be surprised by how far he has come in a relatively short time span: “It doesn’t feel short because of so many projects, but 20 years ago when all I wanted to do was carve out my own niche in the industry, I never imagined this.”

With Superior’s company culture based on the common goal of providing excellent customer service, Hilgert and his team have built a strong foundation for success. “My management staff, sales team, and business development crew keep operations running smoothly and are the glue that holds this company together,” he says. “I feel lucky that they support my vision.”

Hilgert is also proud that a second generation of family members are assuming more prominence in Superior’s daily operations. “Taylor and Ashley value quality, they work hard, and have terrific people skills, so quite frankly I’m waiting for them to take over,” he laughs. “Maybe then I’ll be able to retire and relax.” ▪