Maximum Metals: Unlikely beginnings, unwavering resilience

Marc and Dawn Bowers’ journey began with an unexpected announcement in 2009 and has since grown into a 15-year success story of resilience, partnership, and ambition.

Maximum Metals, at 116 Stephens Road in Morganton, was thrust onto the scene after a visionary conversation Dawn had at a town meeting led to a front-page article in the McDowell County newspaper days later.

At the time, Marc and Dawn were employed and the idea of creating Maximum Metals was only a concept. Dawn’s ambitious dreams and background in sales sparked coverage in a news article. The newspaper, hitting the stands in December 2009, foreshadowed the company’s existence in January 2010.

“We both knew that this was what we needed to do, but she was the one that really lit the fire at that point,” Marc said.

Maximum Metals is a full-service stocking distributor for metals. The company sources and supplies materials to companies by connecting buyers with manufacturers of stainless steel, copper alloys, aluminum, and custom extrusions.

Maximum Metals sources products for companies ranging from aerospace and filtration companies to machining and medical supply companies.

Dawn, described as the quick-witted, ambitious, competitive one, has been the face and salesperson for the company, while Marc, who’s the more cautious, glass-half-empty one, handles the warehouse and distribution.

Over the years, the company has not only weathered the ups and downs of the metal industry but has also become a key player in providing hard-to-find materials and building lasting relationships with customers.

SEEDS OF GREATNESS

Dawn’s interest in sales began when the two lived in Ohio. While Dawn was in the restaurant industry, one of her regular customers told her she’d make a good salesperson, promising her a job in the metal industry, to which she replied, “I’ve heard that one before … I almost had a prom date too, but I’ll hold my breath for you,” Dawn laughed. Her personality alone guaranteed her a job.

In sales, Dawn went above and beyond her scope, taking one metal company from $500,000 in sales to $6 million in the first year. Ultimately, a shift in leadership led to an ultimatum about the next move for their family. A job down South or an airport metals company in Australia.

“We should’ve picked Australia,” Marc laughed. Dawn scored a job in Greenville, S.C., where she practically ran her own business while working inside sales for metal companies. With Morganton a part of her territory, the couple was intrigued after visiting downtown Morganton and decided to settle in Burke County.

Eventually, Marc and Dawn decided to venture into business on their own. Dawn’s connections and relationships, paired with Marc’s support, have paved the way for a small business to succeed 15 years in the metal industry.

ADAPTABILITY, RESILIENCE DRIVES SUCCESS

The metal industry is capital-intensive, according to Marc, with larger companies often focusing on readily available products. Maximum Metals has carved out a niche by sourcing hard-to-find materials and providing solutions for customers when others couldn’t, allowing the company to thrive by being adaptable and attentive to specific needs.

As the primary salesperson, Dawn’s yearly goal is $3 million in sales, and she’s come close to that target. Her persistence pushed the company to reach $2.9 million in sales one year.

“You either adapt or you don’t … and we’ve adapted for 15 years,” Marc began. “It takes a lot of resiliency.”

The goal at Maximum Metals has always been to keep the overhead low. The company is made up of a team of five and prides itself on the ability to form partnerships with customers to lower costs while ensuring a reliable supply of quality metal products.

“The business has had its challenges,” said Marc. “You’ve got to have the ability to think outside the box, be creative, and solve problems.”

Marc and Dawn discuss the industry’s future, alluding to a possible closure in the coming years. Years ago, the metals industry was based on forging relationships and personable customer service. Today, customers are more concerned with convenience than personal associations. Companies are now hiring teams specifically for buyouts, and the remaining companies are being acquired.

“In the last couple of years, it’s a bit more like a step forward, three steps back, so that’s made it tough,” Marc said.

In addition, proposed tariffs have slowed down business in the industry due to the uncertainty of the economy, Marc said. This year, Maximum Metals is down nearly 60% in sales compared to last year.

“How do companies plan for production when they don’t know from one day to the next what’s going to happen? As far as selling materials, it affects the entire industry — companies and customers,” Marc said. “Companies are holding back because how do you plan or order not knowing what’s going to happen?”

ONWARD

For Marc and Dawn, Maximum Metals has given them the opportunity to provide the life they’ve hoped for their family. According to Marc, entrepreneurship has given them the means and time to be able to spend with loved ones.

Although the future of the business is uncertain, they aren’t throwing in the towel just yet. Retirement in the home they purchased in Panama is the future Marc and Dawn look forward to.

“For the people that know me, I’ve defined myself as Maximum Metals over the past 15 years,” Dawn said.

Dawn turned to Marc.

“You always told me you believed in me,” Dawn said, her eyes welled up with tears. “And that took my being afraid away from me.”