The History of Coast Iron Works

Coast Iron Works is one of the oldest businesses in the South Bay area. We still have one of the original 500 telephone numbers issued in the city!

In 1914, Ivor Bell established The Coast Welding Company in San Pedro, California. The company started as a blacksmith shop focused on blacksmithing and fishing boat repair and quickly earned a reputation as the best place in town to have your horse re-shoed or your boat repaired. With the rise of the automobile, the business slowly began to evolve to a full scale welding and metal fabricating operation.

Jack and Bob Bell took over the business when their father retired in the 1940’s, and they continued to do a wide variety of welding and metal fabrication projects. After Bob Bell passed away in 1971, Jack decided it was time to sell the company.

Joe Martinez purchased the company in 1972 and refocused it to the design, fabrication, installation of custom ornamental ironwork for both residential and commercial applications. Joe retained Roger Manatt, one of the older, highly skilled blacksmiths, and so began a relationship that spanned many years – Roger’s work can still be seen all over Southern California today.

In 2012, after forty years of hand-crafting wrought iron, Joe decided to sell the business. Joe had a good team of designers, fabricators, and installers focused entirely on ornamental wrought iron. Joe loved his “family” and wanted to sell the business to an experienced craftsman.

Jim Peterson, the owner of a Michigan company with a very similar vision and a blacksmith himself, purchased The Coast Welding Company from Joe, and Coast Iron Works was born. Jim retained all of the talented employees as well as upgrading all of the welding and fabrication equipment. The company continues today with a near century-old commitment to excellence through high-quality, creative design, and impeccable craftsmanship.