Views: 289 Author: Jiawei Huang Publish Time: 2025-12-05 Origin: Site
This article is intended for industry reference purposes only.
The order in which the companies appear does NOT represent any ranking, priority, endorsement, or assessment of overall strength.
All companies are listed in a neutral and non-ranking sequence for informational use only.
When sourcing custom welded frames, machine bases, automation equipment structures, and large welded steel structures, buyers are often faced with a wide range of manufacturers with different scales, technical strengths, and market positioning.
In general, manufacturers in this industry can be divided into two main categories:
• Mid-size OEM manufacturers – highly flexible, cost-effective, and well-suited for custom automation equipment, CNC machines, testing systems, and industrial applications.
• Large heavy-fabrication groups – specialized in ultra-heavy welded structures, plant-level platforms, and national-scale industrial systems.
This guide presents a balanced and neutral global reference list covering both categories, based on publicly available information and industry positioning.
These manufacturers share several key characteristics:
they operate at a mid-size production scale, offer strong customization capability, and are highly suitable for drawing-based manufacturing of machine frames and welded structural components.
They are especially well suited for industries such as:
• Automation equipment
• CNC machines
• Testing and inspection equipment
• General industrial machinery systems
These companies typically provide a good balance between manufacturing flexibility, cost control, and engineering communication.
✅ Company Overview
Changwei Machinery is a professional export-oriented OEM manufacturer specializing in custom welded frames, machine bases, automation equipment structures, and large welded steel structures. The company serves global customers in automation, CNC machinery, testing systems, and industrial equipment industries.
Beyond standard machine frames, Changwei is also capable of manufacturing large-size, heavy-duty welded structures, including multi-ton industrial platforms, large automation line frames, and heavy equipment bases. The company focuses on providing structural stability, dimensional precision, and long-term reliability for equipment used in international markets.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Employees: 150-200
• Manufacturing Capabilities:
o Large-format laser cutting
o Robotic welding & heavy manual welding
o CNC machining for large mounting faces
o Industrial painting & powder coating
• Production Mode: Custom OEM | Small–medium batch | Mass production
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Strong capability in both equipment-level frames and large welded structures
• High flexibility for non-standard, drawing-based customization
• Stable export-grade welding quality
• Competitive China manufacturing cost
• Fast engineering communication and quotation response
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Automation line frames
• Testing equipment base frames
• CNC and heavy machine tool bases
• Large industrial platforms & support structures
• Multi-axis motion system welded frames
https://www.prv-engineering.co.uk
✅ Company Overview
PRV Engineering is a UK-based engineering and fabrication group with a long industrial heritage, operating as a project-driven heavy fabrication and engineering manufacturing company. The group provides custom welded structures, large industrial frames, and complex engineering assemblies for highly regulated and demanding industries.
PRV’s manufacturing model emphasizes engineering integration rather than mass production, making it especially strong in complex, low-to-medium volume welded projects.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Employees: 200–300
• Manufacturing Scope:
o Heavy welded industrial structures
o Large equipment frames
o Special engineering platforms
o Module-based welded assemblies
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Strong project engineering management capability
• High structural accuracy for large welded assemblies
• Experience with regulated industries (rail, defense, energy)
• Emphasis on load-bearing safety and long-term service life
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Railway equipment frames
• Defense-related structural assemblies
• Energy system support structures
• High-load industrial machinery frames
✅ Company Overview
L&M Fabrication and Machine is a mid-sized U.S. metal fabrication company focused on custom welded frames, machine bases, and CNC machined industrial components. The company operates a vertically integrated production system that combines plate cutting, welding, machining, and final assembly under one roof.
L&M serves domestic U.S. manufacturers of industrial equipment, machine tools, and custom machinery systems.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1979
• Employees: 100–200
• Manufacturing Scope:
o Steel plate & profile cutting
o Welded machine frames
o CNC machining of mounting faces
o Equipment base fabrication
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Strong integration of welding + machining in one factory
• Good flatness control for machine bases
• Medium-batch stability for repeat OEM projects
• Practical American OEM manufacturing standards
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Machine tool bases
• Industrial automation frames
• Equipment mounting structures
• Custom engineered welded supports
✅ Company Overview
Irion GmbH is a German industrial manufacturing company specializing in welded assemblies, industrial metal frames, and mechanical system integration. With decades of experience in industrial fabrication, Irion is known for its stable welding consistency, strict process control, and long-term reliability of welded metal systems.
The company positions itself as an industrial system supplier, not just a part manufacturer.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1949
• Employees: ~200
• Manufacturing Scope:
o Welded industrial frames
o Metal system modules
o Mechanical structure integration
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Typical German welding and quality management standards
• High repeatability for industrial welded assemblies
• Strong system-level structure design capability
• Long-term reliability over short-term cost optimization
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Industrial automation system frames
• Mechanical system support structures
• Equipment-level welded metal modules
✅ Company Overview
Metup SIA is a European OEM manufacturing company specializing in load-bearing steel structures and industrial welded frames. The company serves machinery manufacturers and infrastructure-related industrial clients across the European Union, focusing on certified welding, structural compliance, and EU standard execution.
Metup operates as a structural OEM supplier inside the European industrial supply chain.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1998
• Employees: ~150–250
• Manufacturing Scope:
o Load-bearing industrial steel structures
o Equipment-grade welded frames
o Structural platforms and supports
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Certified EU structural welding standards
• Strong load-bearing structural design execution
• Stable mid-volume delivery capability
• Compliance-driven manufacturing system
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Heavy equipment support frames
• Industrial load-bearing platforms
• Infrastructure-related structural modules
These manufacturers are characterized by their large overall scale, extensive workforce, and extremely strong heavy-fabrication capacity.
Their projects are typically ultra-large, ultra-heavy, or system-level industrial projects, such as:
• Complete metallurgical production lines
• Main frames for construction machinery
• Steel plant platforms
• Large industrial infrastructure systems
These companies usually focus on high-capacity, long-cycle, and large investment industrial projects that require strong system integration and heavy-structure manufacturing capability.
✅ Company Overview
Mayville Engineering Company (MEC) is one of the largest contract metal fabrication companies in the United States, providing comprehensive manufacturing services ranging from large welded structural assemblies to full system integration. Founded in 1945, MEC has grown into a nationwide manufacturing group serving world-class OEM customers in agriculture, construction equipment, commercial vehicles, and industrial machinery.
MEC operates as a full-scope manufacturing partner, not only producing welded structures but also delivering complete frame assemblies, coated structures, and integrated modules ready for final machine installation.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1945
• Employees: 2,300+
• Manufacturing Facilities: 26 plants across the United States
• Core Manufacturing Scope:
o Large welded steel structures
o Sheet metal fabrication
o Robotic & manual welding
o Powder coating & industrial painting
o Full system and frame assembly
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Extremely strong mass production capacity for welded frames
• Mature automotive & off-road equipment quality systems
• Capable of platform-level frame production for major OEM brands
• Integrated supply chain management from raw steel to finished module
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Large construction equipment frames
• Mass-production automation machine bases
• Heavy-duty transport equipment frames
• Platform-level industrial structure modules
✅ Company Overview
SMS Group is a world-leading engineering and manufacturing group specializing in metallurgical equipment, ultra-heavy industrial systems, and extremely large welded steel structures. Founded in 1871, SMS Group operates globally as a turnkey supplier of complete steel plants, rolling mills, forging systems, and heavy industrial production lines.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1871
• Employees: 14,000+ worldwide
• Global Presence: Germany, China, USA, India, Brazil, and many other industrial regions
• Core Manufacturing Scope:
o Ultra-heavy welded frames
o Metallurgical equipment structures
o Large pressure-bearing steel systems
o Complete industrial line platforms
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Ability to manufacture hundreds-of-ton-level welded steel structures
• Advanced heavy weld stress control & fatigue reliability design
• World-class industrial system integration capability
• Global EPC-level project execution experience
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Steel plant and rolling mill platforms
• Ultra-heavy industrial welded frames
• High-temperature, high-load industrial systems
• National-level infrastructure & metallurgical projects
✅ Company Overview
Amada is a globally renowned Japanese manufacturer specializing in high-precision sheet metal processing systems, laser cutting equipment, and automated metal fabrication solutions. Founded in 1946, Amada has evolved into a global technology-driven group supporting precision equipment manufacturing, automation, and smart factories.
In addition to making fabrication equipment, Amada also provides high-precision welded and formed metal structural components used in automated production systems and advanced machinery frames.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1946
• Employees: 8,000+ worldwide
• Global Operations: Japan, Europe, North America, China, Southeast Asia
• Core Manufacturing Scope:
o Precision sheet metal structures
o Automated metal fabrication systems
o Laser-cut welded frames
o Intelligent factory frame systems
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Ultra-high precision metal forming & welded structure accuracy
• Deep integration of automation + structure + intelligent control
• Strong R&D-driven manufacturing ecosystem
• Industry leader in smart metal fabrication technology
✅ Suitable Project Types
• High-precision automation equipment frames
• Intelligent manufacturing system structures
• Laser & precision equipment bases
• Smart factory metal system platforms
✅ Company Overview
Ironform is a U.S.-based industrial manufacturer specializing in large welded structures for mining equipment, energy systems, off-road machinery, and heavy industrial platforms. The company is widely recognized for its project-driven heavy fabrication capability, focusing on large part size, high-strength weld integrity, and extreme load applications.
Ironform operates as a heavy welded structure solution provider, not a typical light fabrication shop.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Employees: 300–400
• Manufacturing Scope:
o Large-format steel cutting
o Heavy plate welding
o Multi-ton welded assemblies
o Structural straightening & stress control
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Long continuous weld seams with deep penetration control
• Excellent performance under fatigue, vibration, and extreme loads
• Strong lean manufacturing execution for heavy-project delivery
• Focus on structural reliability over cosmetic appearance
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Mining equipment welded chassis
• Energy equipment heavy frames
• Off-road machinery main welded bodies
• Heavy automation load-bearing platforms
✅ Company Overview
Fortaco Group is a European manufacturing group specializing in heavy machinery welded structures, load-bearing frames, and platform-level industrial assemblies. Founded in 1971, Fortaco operates multiple manufacturing plants across Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, and Serbia, serving leading global OEM brands in construction machinery, lifting equipment, and industrial automation.
Fortaco is positioned as a Tier-1 structural supplier for large international equipment manufacturers.
✅ Scale & Capabilities
• Founded: 1971
• Employees: 2,000+
• Manufacturing Plants: Multiple across Europe
• Core Manufacturing Scope:
o Heavy machinery welded frames
o Large load-bearing steel structures
o Hydraulic equipment support frames
o Equipment-level structural modules
✅ Core Manufacturing Strengths
• Extremely strong load-bearing structural design and execution
• Stable high-volume delivery for construction machinery OEMs
• Multinational production coordination ability
• High compliance with European welding & safety standards
✅ Suitable Project Types
• Construction machinery main welded frames
• Lifting equipment load-bearing structures
• Industrial heavy platforms
• Bulk material handling system frames
In practice, choosing the “right” welded frame or welded structure manufacturer mainly depends on several key factors related to your specific project, including:
• Project type – Is your project equipment-level (automation machines, CNC, testing equipment), or plant-level and system-level (steel plants, large industrial platforms)?
• Size and weight of the structure – Are you dealing with small to medium machine frames, or ultra-large and ultra-heavy welded structures?
• Order volume – Is your demand based on small batch customization, medium batch repeat orders, or large-scale mass production?
• Cost sensitivity and lead time – Do you prioritize manufacturing cost, delivery speed, engineering communication, or certification requirements?
• Market standards and compliance – Do you require EU standards, North American standards, or export-oriented manufacturing control?
As a general guideline:
• If your project focuses on automation equipment, CNC machines, testing systems, and industrial equipment, and requires:
o High customization,
o Flexible batch sizes,
o Competitive cost,
o Fast communication and short lead times,
then a mid-size OEM manufacturer is usually the most suitable choice.
• If your project involves ultra-heavy welded structures, metallurgical production lines, construction machinery main frames, or plant-level industrial systems, then a large heavy-fabrication group is generally more appropriate due to their large-scale capacity and system integration capability.
This global guide brings together both mid-size OEM specialists and large heavy-industry leaders, offering a realistic overview of today’s welded frame and large welded structure manufacturing landscape.
It is important to emphasize once again that:
All companies mentioned in this article are listed strictly for industry reference only.
The order of appearance does NOT represent any ranking, endorsement, priority, or performance comparison.
Each manufacturer has its own strengths in different market segments, project sizes, and application scenarios.
For buyers seeking a cost-effective, export-ready manufacturing partner with strong capabilities in:
• Custom welded frames
• CNC machine bases
• Automation equipment structures
• Large welded steel structures
Changwei Machinery (China) stands out as a highly competitive OEM supplier, combining large-structure manufacturing capability, flexible customization, reliable export quality, and strong cost performance for global industrial customers.
