THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505130386
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 8 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: SMALL BUSINESS
SOURCE: By MYLENE MANGALINDAN, BUSINESS WEEKLY
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
John C. Harrell puffs with pride whenever he talks about the durability of his company, Suffolk Iron Works Inc.
The Suffolk-based steel fabricator, located at 418 E. Washington St., has been in business since 1898 but has managed to adapt with the times.
Company president Harrell and his son, J. Clifton Harrell Jr., attribute their company's Small Business of the Year Quality Award from the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce to their versatility.
``The key to our success is we don't want to put all our eggs in one basket,'' vice president Clifton said. ``We strive to have a diverse and wide customer base.''
The 30-person company does no more than a fifth of any of its work for one particular industrial sector.
Twenty percent of its work is done in the peanut processing business. The railroad industry accounts for another 10 percent to 15 percent.
``Beyond that, we stay as diversified as we can and work in as many ways as possible,'' Clifton said. ``Wherever the business is is where we try to go.''
One of the company's more prominent ventures includes the Yucca Mountain Project in Nevada, where the federal government is building a 75-mile tunnel through a mountain to store radioactive waste. Suffolk Iron Works is providing steel railroad ties for the project.
The company also builds conveyors and elevators for stone, aggregate and gravel handling businesses. It provides service in the crane and rigging industry too. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
BILL TIERNAN/Staff
John Harrell, Suffolk Iron Works Inc.
KEYWORDS: AWARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE by CNB