Start-Up Stories

by Terry Stephens

Those on the outside may think owning and growing a business is glamorous. They see the current building, the staff, the equipment and the profits. What they don’t see are the startups. The small beginnings, the ever-present worry, the dreams and the everyday decisions that can either make it or break it.

Fence News honors those who put their hat in the self-employment ring and built their business one small step at a time.

“It all started with a piece of pipe.”

In the early 1970s, Terry Stephens was a college student, studying accounting, working a summer job with a farm gate manufacturer. He stayed on as their bookkeeper after completing his degree. As he learned more about the business, he became interested in the steel side of the industry.

“Working on the books for the company gave me a lot of insight, and I knew if I could sell fence products at a competitive price and quickly deliver to customers, I could have a successful business,” says Stephens. “I also realized the strength of this idea had to grounded in the people who worked there.”

That idea led to the opening of the first location of Stephens Pipe & Steel (SPS) in 1974 in Russell Springs, Kentucky. From this small office, Stephens sold fence framework and fabric to local fence companies in Kentucky. He says in those early days, this was more of a “sideline” for him than a full-time job. “I was elected to public office, continuing in that position for a dozen years,” he explains. “But even as a side business, our company grew, largely due to the contributions of our first employee, J.R. Mann. He was a driving force for my vision and our success and became a great friend. He has certainly been missed since his untimely death in 2012.”

Stephens with a full truck load of product.

Stephens says one of the biggest challenges in their first years was managing their growth. “We were willing to work hard, and that hard work paid off, but being able to fund the staff, equipment and inventory we needed was often a test. We worked a lot of long hours, but the lessons we learned back then have served our company well over the years. I know from experience we can outwork any problem we face. When you are working at something you enjoy, even working through the challenges doesn’t seems so bad.”

The next phase of growth for SPS was moving the office and operations to a two-acre lot in rural Russel County in 1980. Stephens says this enabled them to expand regionally to service all of Kentucky, Tennessee and across the Southeastern U.S.

Steady growth continued and the 1990s marked several milestones, with the opening of weaving operations in Kentucky and Alabama, the acquisition of other companies, and the opening of five retail locations in five states. By the end of the decade, SPS employed 350 employees.

Growth has been exponential in the new century, with manufacturing expansion in chain link, wire, and polyester powder coating. By 2022, SPS had grown to 1300 employees, 18 locations and over 7500 customers across the country. Their operations include three million square feet of manufacturing facilities, 120 weaving machines and a fleet of 185 trucks.

Today, SPS is the largest American-owned Fence Distributor and Manufacturer and has built a reputation as a true one-stop-shop for all fencing needs. They manufacture both round and square pipe, all types of galvanized and color chain link and framework, gates, kennels, temporary panels, ornamental fence, PVC, ties, barbed wire and tension wire. In addition, SPS is a major stocking distributor of aluminum and steel ornamental, rebar, concrete mesh, DOT fence, guard rail, fittings and anything else their customers need.

Stephens says the secret to his success is not a secret at all. “We have never lost our initial focus on two things: building long lasting relationships with customers through quality and services, and surrounding ourselves with a team of hardworking employees who are committed to serving our customers. Thanks to these guiding principles, SPS is well-positioned for continued growth.”

Learn more about Stephens Pipe & Steel at www.spsfence.com.