Beau’s interest in engineering and creation started when he built his first truck in high school. He became familiar with mechanics by taking vehicles apart, installing motors and suspensions, swapping drive trains, and even putting a fuel injection system into an old truck.
His father was a general contractor, so Beau had a basic understanding of general construction. Growing up in Sonoma County in a relatively remote area, his interests evolved into building, repairing, and customizing vehicles. Attending Sacramento State on a full-ride scholarship, he became the first student on a football scholarship to also graduate with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 2003.
Right after college, he started an off-road vehicle fabrication business in the tenuous economic conditions of 2003. Job prospects were poor in the area, and he was starting a family that he needed to provide for. Partnering with his brother, they grew the business from scratch. Beau graduated on Friday and went to work on the business on Monday, with him and his brother eventually growing it to 15 employees.
Jeeps and rock crawlers were their initial offerings, and they moved on to large scale fabrication projects, construction, and the tech industry. Building for the unique requirements of vehicles that would be out on the rocks, they designed drive trains and suspensions that were more robust and durable than lightweight or fast.
During this time, Beau learned more about CNC machining and fabrication and about being a customer needing specific parts for a job. Part of the business would involve sending out designs, only to receive parts that weren’t quite right or didn’t work because they were not produced to the exacting standards needed. His experience has allowed him to develop a unique approach to engineering and fabrication problems. He is able to see problems from both sides, with background knowledge of fabrication informing the design of a product, and vice versa. Out of necessity, he began to do more and more of the fabrication in-house, acquiring the necessary equipment.
As time went on, Beau recognized the opportunity associated with high-volume manufacturing work. He knew the current operation was not set up to do that type of work, and he decided that the risk was worth pursuing the opportunity. He sold his portion of the business and used the money to invest in two machines. He hit the ground running, and Taurus Fabrication was born. The gamble paid off, and Taurus now owns over 9 machines and is continually pushing the boundaries of manufacturing.
Taurus not only has the knowledge and equipment to do almost everything in-house but excels in designing for manufacturability. If a client submits a design to be built, he will be able to predict potential issues, asking for clarification if necessary. When a tech company several years ago approached him with a problem involving an adaptation to a vehicle, he was able to solve it using a unique approach from a perspective that no one else at the company had.
Designing for manufacturability led to a wide range of capabilities under one roof. With a background in design, engineering, hands-on assembly, and problem-solving, Beau and his team has been able to offer solutions that clients often didn’t have time to figure out on their own.
When offered the opportunity to grow along with a large client and fulfill the needs of that business, Taurus took it. This allowed him to devote more time and attention to helping manufacturers with the technical requirements for fabrication, and was a departure from the focus on retail they previously had.
Beau loves the continually improving aspect of the business, which requires staying current on the newest techniques and equipment, and being part of a community of like-minded people and corporations doing the same.
Taurus has helped startups as well as long-established companies with a flexible, nimble approach that allows them to adapt and get up and running quickly with plans. Short deadlines and requests for prototypes have all been accommodated quickly.
With the many new tools constantly becoming available in the industry, Taurus prides itself in constantly outdoing itself when it comes to new projects and capabilities. A proponent of the 5S’s as applied to manufacturing, Beau is committed to constantly improving and growing. The 5S is a system that originated in Japan. It emphasizes the use of a specific approach to ensure consistency and value. The 5S’s include: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.
Beau and his team are constantly looking for new and better ways to solve problems. They welcome new ideas and challenges, and the business is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our clients.
Jay previously worked as a technician for many years installing security alarms, fire alarms and home entertainment systems. Throughout his years as a technician, Jay provided excellent customer service to his customers, building a great business relationship with his clients. As a master technician, Jay has an attention to detail and ensures the best quality in his work.
Jay started off welding as a passion for fabricating off-road vehicles. He brings that passion into the welding work he does for Taurus Fabrication. Jay brings his eye for detail and hard work ethic into the fabrication shop.
He grew up around off-road racing, and as an adult he enjoys fabricating and racing off-road vehicles. In his spare time, he enjoys designing and building custom furniture. He also enjoys mountain biking and fitness training.