Triple-S Steel Case Study: Securing Structural Steel for the Dallas Baptist University Project

Table of Contents

1. Dallas Baptist University Project at a Glance
2. About Milestone Metals, Inc.
3. The Challenge: Locking In Material Before the Contract Was Final
4. How Triple-S Steel Secured, Stored, and Scheduled the Material
5. Structural Steel Supplied for the Dallas Baptist University Project
6. The Result: Steel Ready When Fabrication Began
7. What Milestone Metals Says About Working With Triple-S
8. What Fabricators Can Take From This Project
9. FAQs

A fabricator can have shop time booked and crews lined up, but if the steel is not there when fabrication starts, the schedule slips anyway. Milestone Metals, Inc. faced that risk on the Dallas Baptist University project, with fabrication deadlines set before the contract was final. This Triple-S Steel case study shows how working with a structural steel supplier that could secure, store, and schedule material ahead of time kept the job on track.

Milestone Metals is a Houston-based AISC Certified Fabricator and Erector with more than 45 years in commercial metal work. For the DBU project, Triple-S Steel supplied W beams and columns from W8 to W24, HSS from 3-inch to 20-inch, and steel plate and angle in various sizes, then held the order for several months until fabrication could begin.

Milestone Metals, Inc. is a commercial metal fabrication and erection company headquartered in Houston. The company handles structural steel fabrication and erection, miscellaneous and architectural metals, monumental stairs, pedestrian bridges, and custom metal work, with projects across Texas that include high-rise buildings and universities.

As an AISC-certified fabricator and erector, Milestone manages a job from estimating and detailing through fabrication, delivery, erection, and closeout. With that much of the project on its side, the steel has to be available and correct before the rest of the schedule can move.

Milestone needed to secure the structural steel for the Dallas Baptist University project while the contract was still being finalized. Fabrication deadlines were already in view, and the team had to coordinate quantities, sizes, and delivery dates without putting the project schedule at risk.

Waiting to buy until the contract was signed carried its own risk. Availability and lead times on specific sections can change over a few months, and a fabricator that orders late may find the sizes it needs are harder to get. Buying early solves availability, but it leaves the question of where that steel sits until the shop is ready to cut it.

Material Ordered and Secured Ahead of Time

Triple-S allowed Milestone to order and secure the DBU material ahead of time, locking in availability before the contract was finalized. That gave Milestone confidence the steel would be there when needed and let the team plan its fabrication schedule around a known supply.

Stored for Several Months

Once the order was secured, Triple-S held the material for several months until the contract was finalized and fabrication could begin. The steel stayed with Triple-S until Milestone was ready for it, which removed concerns about changing availability or lead times while the paperwork caught up.

Deliveries Scheduled Around Fabrication

When the project moved forward, Triple-S worked with Milestone to schedule deliveries around the fabrication schedule, with flexibility on when material arrived. It is the same principle behind Triple-S Steel's just-in-time delivery service: material shows up when the shop is ready to work it.

Because the steel was secured early, stored, and delivered on Milestone's timeline, the material was ready when fabrication started. Milestone was able to plan its fabrication schedule with more certainty and reduce the risk of material delays affecting the project. In Milestone's words, Triple-S Steel's ability to secure, store, and coordinate delivery "made the process much smoother and helped keep the project on schedule." On a job where contract timing was uncertain, that flexibility from the structural steel supplier was what protected the fabrication schedule.

Veronica Garza served as Milestone's point of contact at Triple-S for the project. Milestone noted that having someone who was "knowledgeable, available, and willing to help made a big difference throughout the project."

• Ask your structural steel supplier whether it can hold material after purchase when contract timing is uncertain.
• Tie delivery releases to the fabrication schedule, not the purchase date.
• Source the full member list, from beams and columns to plate and angle, through one supplier to cut down on vendor coordination.
• Get a named contact who knows the order and answers quickly.

As a structural steel supplier and service center, Triple-S Steel® brings more than 60 years in the steel business to fabricators, erectors, and contractors on commercial and institutional builds. Request a Quote or contact our team to talk through material, timing, and delivery for your next project.

What structural steel did Triple-S Steel supply for the Dallas Baptist University project?

Triple-S Steel supplied W beams and W columns ranging from W8 to W24, HSS ranging from 3-inch to 20-inch, and various sizes of steel plate and steel angle to Milestone Metals, Inc. for the Dallas Baptist University project.

Can Triple-S Steel store material before a project starts?

On the Dallas Baptist University project, Triple-S Steel secured Milestone Metals' material ahead of time and stored it for several months until the contract was finalized and fabrication could begin. Contact the Triple-S team to discuss storage and delivery scheduling for your project.

What is an AISC-certified fabricator?

An AISC-certified fabricator is a steel fabrication company that has met the certification requirements of the American Institute of Steel Construction, which evaluates its quality management and fabrication capabilities. Milestone Metals, Inc. is an AISC Certified Fabricator and Erector.