Launching a metal fabrication site

(and why industrial websites are harder than they look)

I just launched a new site for Dakota Metal Solutions.

And I’m really proud of this one.

Not because it’s flashy. Not because it’s the “prettiest” site I’ve ever designed.

Actually… kind of the opposite.

Because designing for industrial and manufacturing clients is a completely different game.

The constant battle: useful vs. pretty

Every time I start a project like this, I have to check myself.

My instinct as a designer is to make something visually impressive. Clean layouts, modern elements, subtle animations, the kind of stuff that makes other designers bookmark my work and go “oh that’s nice.”

But that’s not the goal here.

The goal is: Can a contractor land on this site and immediately understand what Dakota Metal Solutions does, what they’re capable of, and if they can trust them with a project?

That’s it.

No one is sitting there admiring the font pairing on a metal fabrication website. They’re trying to solve a problem.

So I have to actively fight the urge to over-design and instead build something that works.

Clear structure. Straightforward navigation. Information exactly where you expect it.

Useful wins every time.

The second challenge: everything starts to look the same

Here’s the honest truth about this industry:

A lot of these companies offer very similar services.Cutting. Forming. Machining. Finishing.Same regions. Similar branding. Similar tone.

If you’re not careful, every site starts to blur together.

And that’s where my real work comes in.

Because the difference isn’t in what they do; it’s in how they do it, who they do it for, and how they want to position themselves.

You won’t find that by skimming their old website.

You have to sit down with them and actually dig.

How I get unstuck (and avoid cookie-cutter sites)

Before I even touch the design, I spend time pulling inspiration.

Not from other manufacturing websites (that’s how you end up repeating the same layouts over and over.)

I look at platforms like Behance. I scroll Design Twitter. I save anything that feels fresh, structured well, or solves a problem in an interesting way.

Then I bring that thinking into an industrial context.

After that, it’s all about the client conversation.

I want to know:

• What do you do better than anyone else?

• What kinds of projects do you actually want more of?

• Who is your ideal customer?

• What do you want people to think when they land on your site?

That’s where the differentiation comes from.

Not colors. Not fonts. Not some trendy layout or scrolling animation that seemingly goes on forever

It comes from clarity!

Designing for the right customer

One of the biggest shifts in how I approach these projects is this:

I’m not designing for “everyone who might need metal fabrication.”

I’m designing for their dream client.

The one they actually want to work with more of.

Because when you get that right, everything else falls into place:

• The messaging feels sharper

• The structure makes more sense

• The site feels more intentional

And suddenly it doesn’t look like every other shop in the Midwest.

The end result

Dakota Metal Solutions’ new site isn’t trying to be trendy.

It’s trying to be clear, capable, and easy to trust.

It shows what they do, how they do it, and who they do it for, without making you work for the information.

And tbh, that’s the kind of design I’m leaning into more and more.

Less fluff. More function.Less “look at this.” More “here’s exactly what you need.”

If you’re in the manufacturing or industrial space and your website isn’t pulling its weight, there’s usually a reason.

And it’s rarely because it’s “not pretty enough.”