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Case study, steel fabrication

From Invisible to In-Demand: How 2LFAB Inc. Built a Sellable, Bankable Business in 8 Months

2LFAB Inc., Ottawa, ON

Screenshot of the live 2LFAB Inc. website homepage, showing the steel fabrication company's services, project photography and request a quote call to action

The problem

Larry Lepine Jr. founded 2LFAB Inc., a steel fabrication company, in July 2020. By early 2026, the business had six years of recurring clients and steady work, but every one of those contracts still traced back to Larry's personal relationships. There was no website, no search presence, nothing a stranger, a bank, or a trade school could find. The business was incorporated and proven, but entirely dependent on one person's network to keep running.

That invisibility was quietly costing the business in ways beyond missed leads:

  • If Larry ever wanted to sell, a buyer would be paying for him and his relationships. There was no digital footprint proving the business had traction independent of its owner, despite six years of operating history.
  • Banks and lenders had no way to verify the business at a glance, meaning more scrutiny and less favorable terms on financing.
  • Larger fabrication contracts and RFPs were out of reach. Many general contractors and procurement departments won't consider a vendor with no online presence, especially in a trade where bonding and portfolio matter.
  • Hiring was almost entirely stalled. Welders and fabricators looking for work had next to no way to find or vet the company, so job interest stayed minimal despite the business being active and growing.
  • Growth was capped at the size of Larry's personal network. Recurring business kept the lights on, but there was no channel bringing in anything new.

The process

Starting January 2026, we built 2LFAB Inc. a website and search presence from the ground up, no ad spend, purely organic:

  • A 20-hour build, structured around their core fabrication services and years of project history.
  • Local SEO and Google Business optimization to build search visibility for steel fabrication in their region.

The results

January to August 2026, organic only.

Ranks well in search
Now ranks well in search for steel fabrication in their area, with zero ad spend.
0 to roughly 12 cold leads per month
A new channel entirely independent of existing relationships.
1 employee to 3
Grew from 1 employee to 3.
Trade school referrals
Went from next to no interest from welders seeking jobs to receiving trade school placement referrals. The company is now discoverable and vetted by the exact talent pool it needs.
Higher line of credit
Secured a higher line of credit, evidence lenders view the business differently now, with six years of operating history finally backed by a verifiable presence.
In the client’s words
“We'd been in business since 2020, but nobody outside my network even knew we existed. Now we regularly get new contacts, and the BDC actually sees a real company.”
Larry Lepine Jr., Founder, 2LFAB Inc.BDC is the Business Development Bank of Canada.

The takeaway

2LFAB had proven itself for six years, but that proof only mattered to the people already in Larry's circle. In 8 months, without spending a dollar on ads, the business became discoverable to everyone else: new customers, welders looking for work, trade schools, and lenders. The company didn't need to get better. It needed to be found.

With a verifiable presence behind six years of operating history, Larry can now plan for the future with more certainty.

For the detail on how we approach this kind of build, see our custom web design service, or our web design in Peterborough page if you are a local business.

Still invisible outside your own network?

If your trades or fabrication business has years of solid work behind it but is still invisible outside your network, you're carrying the same risk 2LFAB was. Tell us about your business and we'll tell you what actually needs building.

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