Founded in 1962, Southern Industrial provides a wide range of services throughout the Southeast, including turnkey industrial construction, industrial electrical construction, turnkey plant installations and relocations, turnkey rigging and plant maintenance service, and specialized metal fabrication. Southern Crane provides state-of-the-art crane and rigging services, and has been a leader in a national safety movement to encourage the certification of all crane operators. All of Southern Crane’s operators are CCO certified.

Because of their safety records, both Southern Industrial and Southern Crane are recognized as STAR contractors by the North Carolina Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division.

In addition to its high-quality optical alignment, millwright / rigging and plant relocation services, the Kings Mountain, North Carolina-based Gibson Industrial brings to the newly combined organization long-standing customer relationships nationwide, along with added coverage in the Charlotte metro / I-85 business corridor area. A Gibson speciality is optical alignment services – highly specialised millwright work for jobs that require close tolerances for roll, high-speed coupling or precision-bore alignments. The company has installation and relocation experience in all types of manufacturing and process industries, which augments Southern Industrial’s existing strengths.

“I have known Paul Gibson, Ken Milem and their team at Gibson Industrial for many years as honorable and tough competition, so we are truly excited that we’re now on the same team,” said Earl Johnson Jr., founder and chairman of Southern Industrial. “Together as Southern Industrial, we can cost-effectively cover all of North Carolina and South Carolina for service and maintenance work, and pursue additional project work and plant relocations across the country.”

“Ken and I were looking for a partner that shared our commitment to safety, integrity and quality work, and would allow our team to continue its own fine traditions while supporting our growth,” said Paul Gibson, founder and co-owner of Gibson Industrial. “We are excited about our future together as we serve existing customers and call on new ones.”