Business profile: Setser Fabricating

From the racetrack to the fabricating floor, Jason Setser’s career has always been high-octane. For more than a decade, Setser Fabricating has become one of the main go-to steel fabricating shops sought out by race teams across the United States, as well as area automotive factories, for its timely, quality workmanship. However, the road to successful business owner hasn’t been smooth sailing.

After a devastating fire five years ago that leveled his original location, Setser has learned that being deliberate in one’s motivation and actions pays off. Since rebuilding his shop just outside of Hope, at 2875 State Road 9, and having grown the business to what it is today, Setser says it would be difficult to manage without the help of his younger brother Elijah and his staff of 10 employees. Jason spoke by phone recently to discuss his racing background, the origin of the business, the challenges and benefits of being a small business owner in Hope, and what he hopes for the future.

Q: For those who aren’t familiar, what does Setser Fabricating do?
A: We are a steel fabricating shop. We do a lot of work automotive factories material handling racks and shipping racks. We do other styles of fabricating, too, for race teams. We do some things for Tony Stewart and other race teams.

Q: So, why fabrication?
A: All I did was drive race cars all my life until I started this business. That is how I learned to fabricate, just being around race cars.

Q: How old were you when you started racing and what did you race?
A: I was six and I started out in go carts and I went to ¾ midgets, full midgets and sprint cars. I’ve raced a little bit of everything, including dirt models.

Q: What fuels your passion for racing?
A: It is just something I’ve done all my life. Now my son, Gunnar, who is 12, does it, so we run him all over the country doing it. That is the goal and it’s what he wants to do, to race like I did for a living.

Q: What was the turning point for you to go from racing to business owner?
A: I had three kids and another one on the way. I was gone all the time traveling. So I needed to find a different way to make a living, be home and support my family.

Q: How did you go come to be at your current location?
A: I started the fabricating shop in a little garage in Newbern. I started out doing it all myself. I finally got a neighbor to help me, but [since I was just getting started] I didn’t have enough money to pay him until I got paid.

My building in Newbern burned down about five years ago. My wife was in the hospital and they released her. We got home around 1 a.m. and woke up about 5 a.m. and the building was blazing in flames. No one got hurt, but I lost everything. It burnt down on a Friday and I had everyone back to work on Monday. We had already purchased this ground here and it had a small building on it.

Then we found a building in Columbus and moved everything there while this building was getting built. I’ve been in this building now for two years.

Q: Do you mainly work with individuals or racing teams? Who makes up the majority of your clientele?
A: The biggest part of my business is automotive with all the factories in town, like Faurecia and Toyota.

Q: How large is your facility?
A: I have two buildings here. One is 64 by 164 square feet and the other one is 80 by 60 square feet. We started in a little 30 by 40 square foot garage.

Q: Would you do anything different if given the opportunity?
A: No, I like what I’m doing.

Q: Do you see Gunnar following in your footsteps when he’s older?
A: We don’t really know what Gunnar is going to do. If he keeps going with the racing as well as he is he will likely be doing that. My younger brother, Elijah Setser, runs the shop, he’s the shop manager. It would be really tough to do what I’m doing without him. I have to be on the road a lot to meet with customers. All my work, I have to go to it, it doesn’t come to me. Elijah doesn’t like doing that part, so I go find the work and bring it in and design it and he makes it happen and gets it done.

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
A: I’ve always liked fabricating and building things out of steel. I don’t get to do much of it myself anymore. Pretty much, I’m out meeting with customers, giving quotes and designing. I guess I always like a challenge. I’m pretty competitive.

Q: What are your hopes for Hope and its business district moving forward?
A: We are hoping it continues to grow and get bigger. Even this little corner is growing right down here on State Road 9. That is our plan, too, to grow.