Apex Ironworks and Fabrication is located in Milbank, SD. It is owned and operated by Chris and Brandy Lewis. Apex specializes in quality stainless steel process piping and fabrication along with equipment installation. We provide nationwide services primarily in the Food and Dairy Industry.

Apex was started in 2009 by Chris Lewis while living in Cokato, Minnesota. Chris worked with a small crew of three employees for the first few years. By 2014, Apex had grown to a size that required a modern and well-equipped fabrication shop and office to be built. Chris and Brandy decided to build in Milbank, South Dakota. Apex officially moved to Milbank in 2015. Currently, Apex employs approximately 25 individuals, which includes some that work locally and a road crew that travels nationwide.

Some of the services Apex performs are stainless steel fabrication, piping layouts, process piping and installations, taking projects from inception to completion. We have done new installations and modified existing installations in dairy barns, cheese factories, breweries, food retail stores, yogurt plants, protein plants, and big dairy farm operations. Custom stainless steel projects outside of the food and dairy industry are also welcome in the shop. Our projects have included stairs and decking for plants and wellness centers. (See our list of services).

Although Apex is located in the Midwest and has done many shop and on-site projects in the food industry in South Dakota and Minnesota, we have also done projects in Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Vermont, just to name a few. Apex has had road crew members on project locations for as long as 3 years.

If you are building a brewery, food or dairy plant or barn, expanding your business, updating piping or stainless steel equipment and looking for experience and minimal lost production time, APEX Ironworks and Fabrication, Inc. may be just who you are looking for. We look forward to the opportunity to customize a project for you, by getting to know you and your business needs.

Chris Lewis

Chris, owner and operator of Apex Ironworks and Fabrication, Inc., has over 20 years of experience in the stainless steel industry.  Chris received his vocational training in welding at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota. After he finished school, Chris moved to Minnesota to start his welding career. His years of employment as a welder were primarily worked in Minnesota but he also did extensive roadwork in other states. Chris worked in the structural side of the industry and also in the piping side of the industry until he realized that piping was where his passion was. Chris gained valuable experience not only in process piping and pipe layout from his prior employment, but also learned the intricacies of roadwork.  It was this exposure that allowed him to observe the true value of character, skills, independent decision making, strong work ethic, and trustworthiness in employees, which he has carried over to his own business.

Chris was motivated to build the Apex team during his own employment where he received periodic queries regarding him initiating a work crew of his own.  In 2009, Chris started his own business in Cokato, Minnesota. He worked alone until 2010 when his workload required him to hire his first two employees. Currently, Apex employs approximately 25 individuals who are located nationwide. Chris built the Apex work team by hiring employees based on character, skills, independent decision making, strong work ethic, and trustworthiness.