Local steel company recruiting new employees as new technology puts it on track for fourth record-setting year

Torey Sutton, Quality Control Inspector at TRC Fabrication, using augmented reality goggles to design a steel railing. See how it and other machines work in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – TRC Fabrication, a steel construction company in Idaho Falls, is experiencing unprecedented growth and it’s hosting a job fair in hopes of recruiting new employees.

It’s happening Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 1546 North 25th East. General Manager Michael Shell tells EastIdahoNews.com they’re looking to hire for multiple positions and he’s encouraging those looking for a job or a career change to attend.

“We’re hiring for fabricators, material handlers, estimators, project coordinators. If they want to learn a skill or a trade, we offer on-the-job training,” Shell says. “Some of our best fabricators started just moving material and running a forklift and now they’re leads on the shop floor.”

Shell says it’s a great opportunity to network with the team and learn about a company that provides reliable, long-term employment with room to grow.

He touts the company’s health insurance and other employee benefits, along with the culture and positive work environment that gives team members stability now and into the future.

TRC Fabrication does industrial and commercial structural steel projects throughout eastern Idaho. Some of its most well-known projects include construction for Basic American Foods and the Mountain America Center. It provided all the stairs and railings for the venue.

The company built the elementary school in Victor and Driggs and was also involved in the construction of Thunder Ridge High School in Ammon.

It also does a lot of work in Jackson.

“We do a lot of government work. We used to work with the Idaho National Lab,” Shell says. “(It has) a union agreement now and we’re not union, but sometimes we’ll fabricate out there. We’ve done some very large projects out there in the past.”

Modernizing its equipment and workflow has been a major focus in recent years. It started using augmented reality technology last year, which has streamlined the design process. It also uses machines with robotic arms to cut steel for various projects. We took a tour and saw how it works, which you can watch in the video above.

Shell says the use of new technology has made the workflow quicker and more efficient.

TRC Fabrication was formed in 2004 by Shell’s father, Mark. Mark got his start working at a grocery store in downtown Idaho Falls when he moved here in the 1980s. He started attending night school to become a welder.

“Welding seemed like a masculine, macho thing for him to do,” Mike says.

That led to a job with American Fabrication for a time before launching his own company.

Michael started working at TRC Fabrication in high school, gradually working his way up the ranks. He became general manager in 2020.

“That was a tough year with COVID, the learning curve, plus everything that was going on with the economy,” Michael recalls. “We’ve had three record-setting years in a row now and we’re on track to (make 2025 another record-setting year).”

For Michael, seeing the completed project is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. He also enjoys the day-to-day operation and seeing the hustle and bustle of workloads being moved and processed.

“That is it’s own little high that you chase,” he says.

Michael is looking forward to meeting prospective employees at Wednesday’s job fair and is optimistic about the company’s future.

Finding ways to continually improve and grow is what he’s focused on.

“Continuous improvement is important to us. We’re constantly looking for people that have that in mind when they come to work,” says Michael. “There’s always a better way (of doing things).”