SteelBlue

06/15/2026

The mics are set and the chairs are full!

We are collaborating with PTI Security Systems and StorageDefender on something new.

Things are about to get spicy. 🔥

06/10/2026

👷 Project spotlight: Chicago - Extra Space Storage

Earlier this year we completed a full build out at an Extra Space Storage facility on Ohio Street. Doors and partitions across a seven story building.

We outfitted every floor except the second, which already held storage. The finished space holds roughly 760 units across about 47,000 square feet.

First Class Metal Construction ran the install. Yovana Andrea Sanchez and her crew did sharp work on a tight downtown site.

We delivered the project alongside Cobalt Commercial Construction.

A clean result we are proud to look back on!

06/09/2026

Craig Eisenbrandt recently sat down with Amy Bix from Toy Storage Nation to talk boat and RV storage.

Craig runs our Central region. He started as a third-generation iron worker and brings more than 20 years in pre-engineered metal buildings.

In this Q&A he covers where SteelBlue fits in the boat and RV ecosystem. He breaks down why developers are pairing traditional storage with flex space and RV and boat under one site plan. He walks through current trends shaping the market. He explains why Class A sites matter for this asset class. He also talks through the right point to bring SteelBlue into a project.

If you build, own, or invest in RV and boat storage, this one is worth your time.

Link in comments.

06/04/2026

Our commercial door line gave the team a new build to solve an old problem a better way.

Our VP of Engineering, Brad Astolos, breaks down the 1270, our largest door at 14 by 14. For Brad, the line meant learning a new product. For Bray Allen, the work drew on a lifetime with these doors. The two paired up to build what the market asked for.

The goal with the 1270 was strong performance without the clunky wind locks competitors lean on. Wind locks add weight. They make a door harder to install and harder to maintain. We wanted the strength without the headache for the crew and the operator.

The field response backs the design. Installers get a large opening, easy operation, and a door built to last.

Watch the full launch video linked in the comments!

06/02/2026

🛫 We are exhibiting at the Mid-Atlantic Self Storage Conference and Trade Show next week at the Ga***rd National Resort in National Harbor, MD.

Steve Thorley will be at our booth representing the SteelBlue team. If you are in the area, stop by and talk doors!

We build mini storage and commercial sheet doors with 4 to 6 week lead times and U.S.-based manufacturing.

New construction or retrofit, we want to hear about your project.

05/29/2026

Self-storage doors are one of the last over-engineered products you can buy.

Properly maintained, most last multiple decades. That warranty is just the floor.

But deferred maintenance erases that advantage much faster.

Every $1 you delay in repairs compounds into $4 to $7 in future costs. Each skipped repair creates a cascading effect of problems.

Your doors are also the first thing a prospective tenant or appraiser sees. A door that sticks or shows visible rust signals how the rest of your facility is managed.

We wrote about what this really costs operators:

Deferred door maintenance compounds fast. Every $1 delayed costs $4-$7 later. Smart operators replace aging doors before repair costs overtake them.

05/28/2026

One of the first questions we get about our commercial door line: is it harder to install?

Bray Allen answers that directly. No. It is a different process, not a harder one.

You do not need rolling steel experience. You do not need a welder or jack frames. The doors are not individual slats and they do not weigh thousands of pounds.

If you follow the installation instructions, it's a simple learn.

The full breakdown is in the comments.

05/25/2026

🇺🇸 Today we honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

To us, Memorial Day is a moment to remember the sacrifice that made every freedom we have possible.

Thank you to those who never came home. To the families who carry that loss, we remember with you.

05/22/2026

👷 Another conversion complete, this one in the Chicago suburbs!

We outfitted six floors of an existing building with roll-up doors and hallway systems. Basement, loading level, and floors two through five. Around 700 units total.

Thank you to our SteelBlue Construction partners for a great build on Lombard Self Storage!

05/21/2026

SteelBlue will be closed Monday, May 25, 2026, in observance of Memorial Day. Our offices and manufacturing operations pause for the day

We resume normal hours on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Have a question or an active project need? Send a message and our team will respond when we are back: https://www.steelbluebc.com/lets-talk