GES Sheet Metal Inc.
Bringing Bold Architectural Sheet Metal to Life By / Robin Brunet Photos courtesy of GES Sheet Metal Inc.
David and Michelle Lee first ventured out on their own as sheet metal specialists by forming a non-union company in 2003. Shortly thereafter, Michelle could regularly be overheard telling her husband, “I really miss SMACNA. I want to get back in.” Lee, who subsequently co-founded GES Sheet Metal Inc. with David, laughs at the memory. She says, “In 2003, our only goal was to grow a company from the ground up and leave something big enough behind for our children to run. “But we had worked with many SMACNA members in the past and loved the camaraderie. So, when the chance came to purchase GES in 2013, we were enthusiastic because, among other things, it was union. And we’ve never looked back.” The Lees and a proficient crew have forged a reputation as leading manufacturers and installers of architectural metal panel and other systems for a wide range of clients. Lee jokingly refers to her work as “putting the jewelry on buildings,” but in fact GES helps bring bold architecture to life, often via the design-build construction process. One example is the soaring, six-storey steel latticework supporting a green wall on the IAC building in Los Angeles. Another is the massive polished steel cylinder defining the entrance of the Pen Factory in Santa Monica, as well as the uniquely ribbed/corrugated façade of Christie’s auction house in Beverly Hills, for which GES created special dies. GES’s Fontana-based shop with its Hans 4000 watt fiber laser machine, AXYZ panel builder, and other equipment provides
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SMACNA-SOCAL INDUSTRY REPORTER
column covers, roof and wall panels, louvers, sunscreens, expansion joint systems, canopies—virtually anything required by developers to complete their commercial and residential projects and set them apart visually from the competition. “David and I love hardware, we love metal, we love working with it and talking about it, and that has helped us achieve our goal of exceeding clients’ expectations,” Lee says. Being a SMACNA Southern California (SoCal) member is another element supporting GES’s success. “They have phenomenal resources, their scholarships are incredible, and they never fail to listen or help you with industry issues,” Lee explains. The Lees were exposed to SMACNA early on in their work life: as the daughter of hardware store owners, Michelle at 22 joined
