By Stefan Yablonski
Universal Metal Works, a Fulton-based metal fabrication firm, was named the 2026 Oswego County Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
It was recognized “for its expertise in design and engineering assembly.”
The company was honored during National Small Business Week in May for its impact on the local manufacturing sector.
The metal fabrication facility, located at 159 Hubbard St., specializes in design and engineering, assembly, complete pre-assembly and more.
The secret to the company’s success is simple. It’s the employees.
“It’s the team that we have here. I couldn’t do anything without the team we have here,” said John Sharkey IV, president of Universal Metal Works. “They are talented hard workers that show up every day and get the job done.”
John and his father, John F. Sharkey III, owner and past president, bought the business in 2010 and changed the name to Universal Metal Works. Before that it was C and C Metal Fabrication.
“He went from about 10 employees to 28 full-time employees — more than doubling the workforce. When companies are downsizing, this one is growing,” Kellie Greene, certified senior business adviser with North Central New York SBDC, said at the recent awards presentation.
“There were 13 initially and now we are up to 31 all together with three part-time,” Sharkey said.
Over the years, the company has continually grown by expanding its client base and growing into different sectors, he explained. At one point, they were approximately 80% in the paper converting industry and are now approximately 30% in that industry.
The decrease is a result of expanding their customer base and evolving into different sectors, Sharkey explained.
They do any kind of fabricated parts — for a lot of different customers and a lot of different municipalities, he said.
“We do the majority of our work with the local industries and we do work with the municipalities as well as the agricultural sector, the farmers and walk-in customers as well,” he said. “We are able to do the majority of metal work in-house.
“We have been trying to streamline the organization for the last five or six years. We do have room to expand with the leased space that we currently have. We are looking down the road the next five to 10 years. I would really like to establish a solidified quality department and make sure that we keep delivering quality parts that are properly inspected and meet our customers’ expectations.”
In the past couple of years, Universal Metal Works has made substantial investments in its facility.
One of the biggest investments has been in the forming department.
The company has invested close to $1 million in the department and has also made a major investment in the machine shop over the last few years.
“We have really been focused on streamlining our organization and making it more efficient,” Sharkey said during a tour of the site. “We are definitely doing updates and renovations on our equipment, on our facility as needed. The effort is to streamline the organization and make it more efficient.”
They moved some equipment to make for a more effective workflow.
“We are set up a lot more efficiently now,” he explained.
They have added large ceiling fans to increase air flow, two big lasers as well as machines for high-volume precision forming and one that is capable of bending three-eighths inch HR A36 plate.
The scope of the projects that Universal Metal Works has done in the past range from parts that are less than $1 to large capital projects that exceed a half a million dollars, according to the company president.
“We are an extremely flexible organization that is able to adapt to our customers’ needs,” he added.
A couple years ago they created a huge “theater” sign for a Fulton business.
“That’s some fun stuff; we like doing that when we can,” Sharkey said.
Expanding marketplace
The company does do some business with Canada.
Greene said she has been talking with Sharkey about expanding his global market.
“We have been talking about expanding that further into Canda as well as into the EU,” she said. “They are showing interest and the world is pretty large, so [Universal] is able to compete in the global marketplace. A company doesn’t have to be big; more than 80% of all business that are exporting from the United States have less than 20 employees — so Universal Metal Works falls right into that category.”
“Yes, we are exploring different markets,” he said. “I have been working directly with SBA to expand our market coverage territory. Have met with some liaisons who are helping connect us.”
The outlook for 2026 is very positive, according to Sharkey.
They have started working with several new customers across various industries since 2025.
Another positive for 2026 is that more young people are pursuing careers in the trades.
“We are optimistic that this will provide opportunities to continue growing our workforce with hardworking and skilled individuals. Couple all this with the construction beginning at Micron and the possibility of an additional nuclear plant in Oswego County and we are excited about the future of our industry in Oswego County,” he said.
Praise for UMW
“Oswego County has a long history of manufacturing,” said Austin Wheelock, executive director of Operation Oswego County. “It is a great honor to see Universal Metal Works honored.”
“The company represents the very best of Fulton and Oswego County,” added Fulton Mayor Jim Rice. “This is something we can all be proud of. Universal Metal Works is a thriving member of our community and a cornerstone of our local economy. This recognition reflects its dedication to its employees.”
The company was also presented citations from various state lawmakers and county officials.
