By Joshua Huff, Sponsored Content
TRUSSVILLE — Trussville’s new entertainment district is a sight to behold. Located in the heart of downtown, the new venue just off of Highway 11 and Chalkville Road is surrounded by restaurants, pocket parks, breweries and is anchored by an amphitheater that is home to a 27-foot wide LED video screen installed to host year-round sporting events, family nights and concerts.
Hidden amongst all the grandeur is the undercurrent of hard work conducted by multiple companies ranging from architect TURNERBATSON to locally owned Bama Steel.
The latter, a small family-owned company, has earned a reputation as one of the most respected rebar companies in the area. That reputation afforded Bama Steel the opportunity to work on Trussville’s amphitheater, which will be a staple of the community for years to come.
Owned by the husband and wife team of Alan and Donna Streetman, Bama Steel opened its doors in 2006 along with former partner and good friend Stanley Hart. Allen, who has been in the rebar business since 1966 and has exclusively worked within the Birmingham metro area, now owns the company outright after buying out Hart a few years ago.
“(Hart) and I actually started the business,” Streetman said. “We found the building over here in Pinson. We have a 15,000 square foot manufacturing area. We fabricate reinforcement bars. We cut and bend to structural engineer specifications.”
Over the years, Bama Steel has earned a reputation as a company that places customers first. So much so, that most of Streetman’s customers come back time and again.
“They know that they come first,” Streetman said.
The reach of Bama Steel stretches all throughout the region, from working on sites ranging from Tamko in Tuscaloosa, to Auburn and to within the Birmingham metro area. That success has grown Bama Steel into a $5 million dollar a year business with upwards of 250 customers, many of whom are regulars.
Some of Bama Steel’s success can be attributed to Streetman’s 40-plus years in the rebar business and to the intimate nature of the company, which boasts of just 10 employees, three of whom have worked with Streetman from the first day.
“We do claim to be family owned and operated,” Streetman said. “My wife works here; My daughter works here. I am the owner, CEO, chief estimator and salesman.”
Streetman made a point to thank three employees in particular: Leigh Martin, Ryan Hart and Ricardo Vega, all of whom have worked with Bama Steel since the onset.
“Those three have been with me since day one,” Streetman said. “They’re here every day. I would just like to put a little contribute out to those guys. To all my other employees, I feel like we have the best crew of all time.”
The employees are split into two groups: five work out of the office while five work in the field. The company begins a job with a bidding process. They take contractor plans, estimate the costs and bid against other rebar companies. The process mimics how other contractors find work, Streetman said.
“Low bidder is the low bidder,” he added.
Once Bama Steel wins a bid, it then designs field placing drawings from the contractor plans. Those drawings will have all the lengths and bend shapes for the rebar. That directs rod busters where to place said rebar.
The rebar itself is purchased locally at Nucor Steel Inc. in Birmingham. Streetman has been buying material from that plant since 1976.
“They’re very good to us,” Streetman said.
As versatile as Bama Steel is, the company’s forte lies within the construction of cell tower foundations. Streetman has been laying the foundation for those towers for more than 20 years. The process is relatively simple: dig a big hole, place rebar, pour in a bunch of concrete and stick a tower in it.
“It’s usually a nice truckload of steel,” Streetman said.
Streetman is proud of the work that his company does. He iterated that while they might not always be the cheapest option out there, Bama Steel will always do the right thing and provide quality of quantity.
“We don’t claim to be the cheapest,” Streetman said. “We claim to be the best.”
For those interested in the services that Bama Steel provides, feel free to reach them at (205) 680-9200. The company is located at 5200 Pinson Valley Parkway, Gilmer Industrial Park Building 1.
