Stop Losing Custom Fabrication Leads to Manual Chaos Automate Your Lead Pipeline for Faster Wins
Imagine slashing 15+ hours per week on lead tracking alone, turning scattered inquiries from job sites and suppliers into a streamlined system that boosts your ROI by 30% or more.
Join 150+ businesses with streamlined fabrication workflows
The "Lead Scatter" Problem
RFQ emails for steel beam fabrication buried in inboxes amid daily shop floor updates on welding schedules and material inventories
Manual entry of supplier inquiries for custom alloy parts into spreadsheets, delaying quotes on structural components by days
Forgotten follow-ups on walk-in clients inquiring about on-site rebar bending from construction sites
Scattered lead data across shop logs for CNC machining jobs, CRM scraps from trade shows, and phone notes on piping assemblies
Wasted estimator time chasing unqualified leads for non-standard truss designs from trade shows
Missed opportunities from seasonal fabrication demands for precast concrete forms not tracked properly during peak building seasons
Our Custom Lead Automation Built for Your Shop
We've engineered solutions for fabrication shops just like yours, integrating directly with your CAD software, ERP systems, and field tools for proven, field-tested results.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest, in custom fabrication, leads come from everywhere—RFQs via email, quick calls from contractors on-site, or specs dropped at trade shows. You're probably thinking your team is already stretched thin welding parts and managing inventory. That's why we build a tailored AI system that captures, scores, and nurtures these leads automatically. No more digging through emails or sticky notes. We map it to your exact workflow, from initial inquiry to quote handoff, saving you hours and ensuring no steel beam project slips through the cracks. It's practical, ROI-driven, and tested in real shop environments.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Time and Cost Savings That Hit Your Bottom Line
Save 15-20 Hours Weekly on Lead Handling
Save 15-20 Hours Weekly on Lead Handling: Your estimators won't waste time sifting through irrelevant inquiries about mismatched material grades. Our system auto-tags and routes fabrication leads based on specs like ASTM standards and load-bearing requirements, freeing up your team to focus on high-value quoting for structural steel projects. That's like adding an extra welder to the crew without the payroll hit—real efficiency gains that boost productivity by 25% during high-volume fabrication runs.
Boost Conversion Rates by 40% with Smart Scoring
Boost Conversion Rates by 40% with Smart Scoring: Here's the thing: not every lead is a fit for your shop's capabilities in handling high-tensile alloys or rapid prototyping. We use AI to score prospects on factors like project scale, alloy needs such as 316 stainless steel, and turnaround time for assembly line integration, so you chase the ones that align with your strengths in custom metalwork. Shops see ROI kick in within 2-3 months, turning more cold calls into signed fabrication contracts for commercial builds.
Cut Manual Errors and Speed Up Quotes
Cut Manual Errors and Speed Up Quotes: Manual data entry is like a faulty jig—it leads to misquotes on tolerances for machined parts and lost trust with contractors. Our automation pulls lead details directly into your workflow via integration with CAD software, reducing errors by 80% and getting quotes out in hours, not days, for time-sensitive site installations. You'll see cost reductions from fewer rework orders on fabricated components and happier clients who return for repeat work on bridge or building projects.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ Labs, our leads from construction site visits for custom steel framing were piling up in dusty notebooks, and we'd miss half the follow-ups during peak welding seasons. Now, everything funnels into one dashboard integrated with our shop management software, and we've closed 12 extra structural jobs in the last quarter—saved us about 18 hours a week that we now use for actual quoting instead of chasing shadows."
Mike Harlan
Lead Estimator, SteelForge Fabrications Inc.
"I was skeptical about automating RFQs for aluminum extrusion projects, but their system integrated seamlessly with our ERP and caught leads we were ignoring amid daily production runs. Turned a slow month into our best ever, with quotes out same-day for tight deadlines and a solid 35% bump in conversions on commercial fabrication orders. No more spreadsheet nightmares during inventory crunches."
Sara Lopez
Operations Director, Precision Metal Works LLC
"As a small fab shop specializing in HVAC ductwork, we couldn't afford to lose track of trade show contacts for custom ventilation systems. AIQ's custom setup scored our leads by project fit, like matching duct gauge to building codes, and we've seen ROI in just two months—cut our admin time by 15 hours weekly and landed a big hospital structural contract we almost overlooked due to scattered notes."
Tom Reilly
Founder and Owner, Apex Custom Alloys Fabricators
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Workflow Mapping
We dive into your shop's lead sources—like emails, calls from job sites, and supplier portals—to understand your exact pain points and build a plan tailored to your fabrication processes.
Custom AI Build and Integration
Our engineers craft the automation from the ground up, linking it to your CAD files, inventory logs, and CRM for seamless data flow that fits your daily rhythm without disrupting production.
Testing, Launch, and Optimization
We test in your real environment, launch with minimal downtime, and fine-tune based on your feedback to ensure it's boosting your efficiency from day one, with ongoing support to scale as your shop grows.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does this automation handle the unique leads from construction site visits?
In custom fabrication, site leads often come verbally or via quick sketches, which can get lost in translation. Our system uses AI to transcribe and categorize these instantly—whether from a phone call or a photo of a spec sheet. We integrate with your mobile tools so estimators get a notification with key details like beam sizes or weld types right on their device. This cuts follow-up time from days to minutes, and we've seen shops reduce missed opportunities by 40%. It's built to your workflow, so if your team uses specific apps for field notes, we sync directly. No more relying on memory in the dust and noise of a job site.
What kind of ROI can a fabrication shop expect from this?
You're probably thinking about the upfront cost, but let's break it down. For a mid-sized shop, automating lead management typically saves 15-20 hours weekly on manual tracking—that's about $1,500 in labor at shop rates. With higher conversion on qualified leads, expect 25-40% more projects closing, adding tens of thousands to revenue yearly. One client recouped their investment in three months through faster quoting on steel orders. We provide a custom ROI projection during consultation, factoring your lead volume and average job value. It's practical: more time welding, less time admin, with efficiency gains that compound as your shop scales.
Will this integrate with our existing CAD and shop management software?
Absolutely, and that's where we shine. We don't just slap on a band-aid; we build deep, two-way integrations with tools like AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or your ERP like JobBOSS. For instance, when a lead mentions custom aluminum parts, the AI pulls inventory data and even flags design compatibilities. This eliminates double-entry errors that plague manual processes. In our experience with fabrication shops, this setup reduces quote prep time by 60%. We map it to your exact setup during discovery—no disruptions to production. If your software has APIs, we're in; if not, we engineer secure workarounds tested in real shop conditions.
How secure is the lead data in a high-stakes manufacturing environment?
Security is non-negotiable in fabrication, where leads often include proprietary blueprints or client specs. Our systems use enterprise-grade encryption, role-based access, and compliance with standards like GDPR or ISO for manufacturing data. Every lead interaction logs an audit trail, so you know exactly who accessed what. We've built this for shops handling sensitive defense contracts, ensuring no breaches. Unlike cloud-only tools, you own the backend, hosted on your secure servers if preferred. Regular updates keep it robust against threats, and we include training so your team handles it confidently. Peace of mind means focusing on fabrication, not firewalls.
Can this scale if our shop grows or takes on more complex projects?
Yes, scalability is baked in from the start. As your fabrication business expands—say, adding CNC machining lines or bigger contracts—our AI adapts without rebuilds. The predictive models learn from your growing data, improving lead scoring for diverse projects like HVAC components or structural frames. We've scaled systems for shops doubling output, handling 5x the leads without slowdowns. It's modular: add features like multi-shop routing as needed. No vendor lock-in means you control the growth, with our support to optimize for efficiency. Shops report sustained 30% productivity boosts even after years, proving it's built to last through your shop's evolution.
What's the timeline to get this up and running in our shop?
We keep it straightforward and fast. After your free consultation, discovery takes 1-2 weeks to map your lead flows. Building and integrating the custom AI follows in 4-6 weeks, with testing in your environment to avoid production halts. Full launch happens in under 2 months for most shops, including training for your estimators and foremen. It's phased so you see quick wins early, like automated RFQ capture. Compared to piecing together off-the-shelf tools, which can drag on for months with glitches, our approach is field-tested for minimal downtime. One shop went live in 5 weeks and immediately cut lead response time in half.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.