Our History
Since 1944, Seibel Modern has been an industry leader in industrial welding and steel fabrication. To this day, we remain a family-owned and non-union small business, now with over 60 employees.
How It Started
When William Seibel started the business in 1944, he was an industrial arts teacher at Lancaster High School. His first side business was making children’s tin pail and shovel sets. Shortly thereafter, William expanded the business by hiring a welder and outfitting his garage for the operations.
The business rapidly expanded past the limitations of William’s garage, so he purchased land at 38 Palmer Place in the Village of Lancaster. After numerous expansions, the address still stands as the home of Seibel Modern. The firm’s first big break occurred when Gould National Battery (GNB), located in nearby Depew, contracted Seibel Modern to manufacture steel cases for industrial batteries.
Meanwhile William’s son; Leon (Lee), attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study civil engineering. He later attended Purdue to earn his Master’s degree in construction management.
After graduating, Lee worked for Tri-Delta Construction for five years. It wasn’t until 1970 when he joined the family legacy, and began working with his father. During Lee’s first 10 years of employment, Seibel Modern went through seven additions and expanded into multiple new manufacturing endeavors. Lee became company President following William’s retirement. His leadership role continued on a daily basis, handling the company’s large projects while overseeing the daily operation of the corporation until his passing in 2015.
The company is now in its third generation of leadership.
Graduate of Clarkson University, Mark Seibel joined the business in 1993 after seven years working for Pratt & Whitney in Hartford, CT. He ran the company’s battery case line for nearly all of his 28 years at Seibel Modern. Following Lee’s passing, Mark took over as President until his retirement in 2021.
Jeff Heath, Lee’s son-in-law, is excited for his new role as President here at Seibel Modern. Jeff joined the business in 1997, and quickly excelled in his role as Shop General Manager, and acted as Vice President working with Mark. He has a passion for the hands-on aspect of running a shop, and is excited to find new opportunities to grow and expand at Seibel Modern.
Seibel earned the work from local contractors and concrete precasters, as well as large construction firms. These include Kiewit Infrastructure, Freyssinet USA, Skanska, Weeks Marine, Superior Transparent Noise Barriers, Durisol Noise Barriers and many others.
Significant Events
1944
The Start of Seibel Modern
Seibel Modern Manufacturing & Welding is founded by William E. Seibel
1947
Seibel Modern HQ
Seibel Modern purchases 38 Palmer Place, where the business currently operates
1959
New Name
William Seibel forms new corporation, and renames the company Seibel Modern Mfg. & Welding Corp
1970s
Steel Battery Production
Seibel Modern begins producing steel battery cases for Gould National Batteries (now Stryten Manufacturing) in Depew, NY
2000
Certification
Seibel Modern obtains American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) - Simple Bridge (SBR) Certification
