Larry Werner and John Patterson stand in front of their new business and logo in Toledo. PHOTO BY MICHAEL METAL GUT DAVIS

A new business has welded itself into Toledo, offering an array of services. Elite Fabrication and Services is up and running on the North side of town.

Located in the old Z-line Building, the new shop is owned and operated by locals Larry Werner and John Patterson. John, originally from Marshalltown, now located outside Montour, is the owner of J&M Fabrication in Marshalltown. Young Larry, who is originally from Tama but now resides in Toledo, had worked with John at J&M for some time before the idea for Elite came up. Larry explained the origins.

“Within the past year, we have had quite the influx in customers from the Tama Toledo area. We had the thought of moving part of the business to that area to help serve the area better. Randy from Z-Line caught wind that we were talking of moving to the area and offered us his old location,” he said. “We are more than thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to have the old Z-Line building, as we will have over twice the room we have now in Marshalltown. It will help us be more efficient and get more work done for our customers! We are planning on keeping the current location in Marshalltown open for now as well!”

As alluded to in the shop’s name, Larry and John will be offering multiple high end services from welding repair and new fabrication to automotive services and repairs. Elite will be the jack of all top-notch metal work for the Tama-Toledo area.

Larry has been welding professionally for six years at J&M in Marshalltown. Before that, he was welding in High School, taking dual credit courses with MCC. That is where he met John, who was his teacher at the time.

John has welding in his blood. A third generation welder, John worked in his grandfather’s shop in his younger years before wanting to branch out and try something new, so he got a job with Union Pacific as a traveling welder specialist.

When he started his family, John wanted to be closer to home, so he moved back and started teaching at MCC. After six years of passing on his skills to the younger generation, John quit teaching to start a new venture and opened up his shop J&M Fabrication. John even offered his old student a position at his new place after graduation.

“I have worked there since doing anything from metal art to doing structural additions to buildings,” Larry said.

So, if you need something welded, or if you need your car worked on, or if you simply have another need you think Larry and John could help you with, make sure to stop by. You won’t get a haphazard job with these two, as their work is always elite.