Forty-three years ago, R&G Tool and Die opened its shop doors for the first time. Occupying a small industrial space along Barbados drive in Toronto, you would find two partners, Risto and Giuseppe, making tools and dies the old-fashioned way — without any CNC, CAD, or CAM technology.

Still owned by two partners, now Peter Vanin and John Sorbera, R&G has outgrown its humble beginnings as a pure tool and die shop to become an end-to-end precision metal fabricator occupying 45,000 sq ft and employing over 40 people.

Vanin started at the company while learning to become a tool maker. “Growing up in this business, I have had to wear many hats. Some days a fabricator or project manager, the next, an HR specialist and heavy equipment mechanic,” he explains. “But undertaking all these roles has been important to our success as it allows me to really understand our customers, what they want — and what’s the most efficient way to deliver it to them — no matter how difficult it might seem.”

Deepening its roots in tool and die-making while expanding operations into custom metal fabrication have allowed it to multiply its footprint, enlarge its workforce and grow its client base from mom-and-pop shops to prominent brands across North America.

But, like many other industries, success hasn’t always come easy. The metal fabrication space is riddled with its set of challenges, including increasing labor shortages, steep global competition, rising costs of raw materials, and supply chain disruptions.

In response, the team at R&G has focused on improving the way projects are planned and organized and invested considerably in industry-leading machinery to respond faster. It also has started investing more time searching for the right talent and creating a strong workforce to ensure top resources on every project.

“Labour and supply challenges are not isolated to the metal fabrication space,” shares Vanin. “We know that our clients are facing similar hurdles and are seeking an experienced fabricating partner adept at navigating these complexities leveraging the latest tools and technologies. That’s why we constantly stay updated with the latest equipment, software, trends, and design techniques to identify suitable ways to make every project a reality.”

Walking around the shop, you’ll see all the computerized brake press technology with a huge collection of brake tooling. You’ll find mills, lathes, grinders and gauges, metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding capabilities, everything you would expect to find in a precision metal shop. But the most eye-catching piece of equipment is its new 10KW fiber laser.

Able to slice through the material at speeds of 3,000/inches per minute, watching the laser flash before your eyes is memorizing. Drawing customers from out of town to witness its performance, their new machine is one of the few in the province with this kind of output.

We have amassed great recognition from our expertise in metal cutting, bending, fabricating, and custom metal work solutions. These capabilities have positioned us at the helm of fulfilling all custom metal needs of clients under one roof. Whether shelves, cabinets, ceiling baffles, or retail displays, we can be their single partner of choice

“I still can’t believe the speed,” Vanin gleams as he watches it zip side to side. “This machine is years in the making for us; we can be more competitive on pricing, turn jobs faster, and complete projects that were previously impossible with the older 3KW laser.”

“Speed has always been our core competitive advantage, but this brings us to the next level, to another planet even,” jokes Vanin. “We have become known as a metal fab drive-through for our clients,” he chuckles.

That drive-through caters to industry verticals from fashion and retail to transportation and restaurants. One of their recent projects was a contemporary ceiling for a leading fashion brand in New York. They are currently outfitting the ever-expanding inventory of transit stations, and they’ve just signed on to support a brand revitalization project for a designer makeup company.

“We have amassed great recognition from our expertise in metal cutting, bending, fabricating, and custom metal work solutions. These capabilities have positioned us at the helm of fulfilling all custom metal needs of clients under one roof. Whether shelves, cabinets, ceiling baffles, or retail displays, we can be their single partner of choice,” states Sorbera.

In all engagements, R&G believes in the process and invests time in meeting with clients to understand their needs regarding each product and its specific application. Their team of engineers identifies aesthetic and structural requirements and offers guidance and recommendations on design, materials, fabrication, finishing, and installation. Putting its clients at the center, they effectively offer cost savings and reduced production times for each and every customer.