Ideal Steel: Finding the Ideal partnership.

Legacy of Values

Early in 2022, John Tolson and his two partners at Ideal Steel in Broussard, Louisiana, began thinking about retirement. After two decades of building their company, their primary concern wasn’t just the transition—it was preserving the name, brand value, and employee culture they had worked so hard to build.

“We were getting to the age where we’re starting to talk about retirement and enjoying life a little bit,” John explains. The partners systematically explored their options, hiring experts to prepare and market the company. They carefully considered two paths: bring in a management team or pursue a sale. As John puts it, they decided to “play both sides of the game and see how it all worked out.”

Despite interest from several private equity groups, the process proved challenging. “We felt we were doing a lot for few results,” John shares. Then came an unexpected turning point. His broker learned about Ambassador Supply’s recent acquisition of a nearby metal building company in Houston and reached out to Brad Crawford, CEO of Ambassador Supply and its parent company, Rival Holdings. What was meant to be a brief thirty-minute introductory call turned into an hour-and-a-half conversation where they “really hit it off well.”

Ambassador Supply’s approach to acquisitions immediately stood out to John. “I especially valued when Brad told me he would much rather sit down with me in person and hash everything out before turning it over to the lawyers,” he said.

As discussions progressed, their values alignment proved crucial. “Our cultures meshed in the way they treat employees like family and conduct business with honesty and integrity. That was big for us,” John emphasizes. This cultural fit has only deepened since the acquisition, especially in further integrating their faith into their business. They’ve even added a pastor who visits twice weekly to connect with employees, enhancing their workplace community.

With Ambassador’s partnership, Ideal Steel has continued to grow while staying true to its roots. “They didn’t reduce staff, not by a single seat,” John notes. “Instead, they’ve invested in software, equipment, and expertise to strengthen operations.” Ideal Steel’s commitment to quality has remained unchanged. “We’re not the cheapest, but we’ve built a brand where customers trust us to tell them the truth. They’re confident in what they’re ordering and that we’ll stand by it, no matter what.”

For John and his partners, seeing their legacy preserved and enhanced brings deep satisfaction. “Ideal Steel is a name we built with pride. We have invested our heart and soul into this company, and I see it thriving beyond our time, which is a great feeling.”

Learn more at IdealSteel.net