Why Sunburnt Steel?
I was given a corner of the factory mezzanine, some tools, and the freedom to work. I built my own welding bench and went on to weld a large portion of the sliding fire door frames produced there. I also fabricated door hardware, brackets, shoot bolts and weight cases. It was a completely new skill set—but one I picked up fast and couldn’t get enough of.
As the business grew, new machinery arrived: press brakes, punch and shear, guillotines. We moved into a larger, more modern factory. I could see the potential—we were capable of becoming far more than just a fire door company. I made it my mission to learn every machine I could and become proficient in all of them.
Then the 6-metre fibre laser bed arrived—and that changed everything.
By then, my role had grown beyond anything I imagined. What hadn’t grown was my salary. I looked around and realised: I can do this myself.With my wife’s support, I quit my job and started my own metalworking business. I began with nothing—taking on small welding jobs wherever I could until I could afford my first CNC plasma cutter.
Sunburnt Steel was started alongside my old school friend Jonathan, and together we began designing, fabricating, and selling the products you see today.
This is only the beginning.We have big plans—moving into an industrial shed, investing in more advanced machinery, and scaling up our ability to design, fabricate, and sell whatever we can imagine. Building quality steel products at scale is the goal. That’s the dream—and we’re just getting started.
