With 65 years of experience between them, 3 Great Falls men become their own bosses

Inside an old building on this city’s west wide, Allan Besich, Dean Brandt and Paul Peterman spend their days building and repairing metal trailers, water tanks and grain elevators.

By BETH BRITTON, Associated Press Writer Idependent Record

More importantly, they’re building a future for themselves.

After General Mills laid off the three men in December, the trio decided to create their own niche and their own jobs.

In early January, they bought the former General Mills metal fabrication shop, including the equipment and inventory inside, and opened their own business, Montana Metal Fabrications.

The layoff ultimately turned out to be an opportunity, one the three men have enthusiastically embraced, despite the challenges of running their own business.

"I’ve always wanted to do something like this on my own," said Brandt, 42. "I’ve always wanted to work for myself, and we have a great combination of experience."

The men bring a total of 65 years of metal fabrication experience to the new venture, and Brandt said that instead of relying on the company, the men rely on one another.

"We complement each other, and I think it’s really gonna go," he said. "I had no hesitations about doing this."

Peterman, 44, agreed that there was no hesitation, but he admitted they had little choice.

"We had worked for General Mills, and we really didn’t know anything else," Peterman said. "I’ve worked in grain elevators my whole life. I kind of grew up with it. My uncle and dad did it."

Today, Peterman said he is happy to be working with two good partners with similar backgrounds. The timing was perfect for the new venture, he added.

General Mills originally opened the shop about two years ago as a cost-saving measure. Equipment was purchased in Chicago and installed in the westside shop, where General Mills’ employees performed maintenance and repair on an as-needed basis, said Besich, 49, a 25-year veteran of General Mills.

"With no grain and little moisture, this place was not being used to its full potential," Besich said.

When the company decided last year to lease elevators to Columbia Grain and lay off some of its workers, Besich said the shop was offered as an asset.

When Columbia decided it had no need for the shop, Besich said, the three men negotiated with General Mills to purchase the machinery and inventory. Today, the men lease 8,500-square-feet of space in what is actually an old brewery.

"The beauty of this thing is that the building and machinery were here; we just stepped in here and began business," Besich said. "We feel very good about being able to pursue this. There’s pride in ownership, and we really couldn’t see a downside."

Besich said Montana Metal Fabrications is ideally situated, both in terms of location and the necessary equipment, to serve the region’s grain growers and elevator facilities.

All three perform hands-on work in the shop, but Besich, because of his experience and his contacts in the grain industry, focuses much of his time on marketing, getting people in the grain industry to know the company is open for business, and the bookkeeping.

With their experience at General Mills, the grain industry is a natural fit, but a second niche they aim to fill is in custom metal fabrication.

"Whatever you want, come in and we’ll build it for you," Besich said, pointing to a water tank and a couple of completed trailers and personalized truck boxes. They also build trailers for golf carts and snowmobiles.

The young business is attracting a steady stream of customers.

"We had no idea we’d be as busy as we are these first two months," Besich said. "We’re happy with what we’ve done so far."

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