A second-generation steel fabricator, Brandon Bell was born and raised in Yuma to a single mother who taught him the value of hard work and education. After graduating from ASU, Bell reconnected with his father. Together, they grew a small ornamental fence company into the state’s second-largest structural steel fabricator. Branching off on his own, Bell founded Next Level Steel (NextLevelSteel.com) in Mesa in 2020. He opened a second state-of-the-art steelyard and fabrication facility in Goodyear in 2023—Castellated Structural Group to keep up with demand.
Despite launching Next Level Steel (NLS) in the middle of the COVID pandemic, it has grown from six employees to more than 100, with clients ranging from Grand Canyon University, ASU, and the Phoenix Suns to the upcoming Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) factory and a new dining hall at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma. NLS is the only fabricator in Arizona offering both traditional structural steel and castellated structural steel.
Castellated Structural Steel Revolutionizes Industrial Construction
Castellated structural steel is an innovative and eco-friendly technology that Bell says is revolutionizing industrial construction.
"During COVID, there was a surge in warehouse building. We previously didn't focus on that business because most commercial warehouses/light industrial space in Arizona are built with wooden roofs and use little structural steel except for the steel joists," explains Bell. "But because of COVID, the price for roof-building joists tripled as manufacturers struggled with supply chain issues and could not keep up with demand."
That provided an opportunity for Next Level Steel to launch Castellated Structural Group and offer its innovative structural steel as an alternative roofing support material.
Castellated steel beams are a high-tech twist on World War II technology. During the process, NLS slices and splits traditional steel I-beams apart, then precisely welds them back together. The "teeth" carved into the beams are offset, creating a series of precise hexagonal holes that help make the steel stronger, faster to erect, and delivered with less lead time than traditional roofing structures.
"With the refinements in our manufacturing process and the new facility's higher volumes," says Bell, "we can compete with traditional roof joist companies even if their prices and lead times stabilize."
Investing in the Booming West Valley
Next Level Steel is one of several local companies providing structural steel for the massive new TSMC factory. "Many new industrial facilities are being planned around the TSMC property," says Bell, "so it's clear this will be a massive economic driver for the area for decades."
TSMC isn't the only growth in the West Valley. It is home to the state's fastest-growing industrial and logistics corridor, lining the Loop 303/Estrella Freeway from the I-10 in Phoenix north to Surprise and Peoria.
"Next Level Steel is proud to supply our innovative Castellated Steel Beam roofing system for several of these new projects, including the 303 Logistics Phase 2 in Glendale and the latest phase of the Mack Innovation Park in Deer Valley," says Bell.
The Future of Next Level Steel
Bell is proud of the company he founded, and with good reason. The company was just named one of Arizona's Top 50 Private Companies for 2022 revenue, with more than $100 million in revenue for 2023. With such success, Bell is expanding into Greater Las Vegas. And while he is excited about the growth, he believes in keeping the company family-focused. "We recently hosted a family fun day at our Goodyear facility so our hard-working team could celebrate with their families."
Next Level Steel is a family-owned and family-focused business. Our American-forged steel beams are 100% American made and Arizona fabricated.