If you've ever wondered who is behind CLD Fabrication or why we're so passionate about designing Australian-made BBQ accessories, this is our story.
I'm Rob, founder of CLD Fabrication and like many great ideas, this one started with nothing more than a passion, a challenge, and a simple goal...to make quality Weber kettle accessories more affordable for everyday Australians.
It All Started With a Career Change
Around four years ago, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.
I left the comfort of my previous career and started a welding and engineering apprenticeship as a mature-age apprentice. It was a leap of faith, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Because fabrication and engineering genuinely interested me, learning never felt like work. I threw myself into every part of the trade, especially CAD design using SOLIDWORKS.
Design had always fascinated me, but I had never found the spark to properly learn it.
The apprenticeship forced me to start.
Before long, I wasn't just learning during work hours, I was spending nights at home designing, watching tutorials, reading forums and teaching myself how to turn ideas into real products.
Without realising it, I was laying the foundations for what would eventually become CLD Fabrication.
Designing BBQ Accessories for Myself
Like most people in the charcoal BBQ community, I was always looking for ways to improve my own barbecue setup.
I owned a Weber kettle, loved cooking over charcoal and constantly had ideas for accessories that either didn't exist or were simply too expensive.
After building relationships with local laser cutters, I started manufacturing some of my own designs.
The surprising part?
They were incredibly affordable to produce while still using quality materials.
When I looked around the Australian market, I noticed a gap.
There were premium products carrying premium price tags, and there were cheap imports made from thinner materials.
There wasn't much sitting comfortably in the middle.
That's exactly where I wanted CLD Fabrication to fit.
Our goal wasn't to build the cheapest BBQ accessories.
It wasn't to build the most expensive either.
It was to design high-quality BBQ accessories that everyday Australians could actually afford.
The Product That Started It All
The very first product we sold was the Krispy Kone.
We honestly had no idea what to expect.
We made a small batch and put them up for sale through Facebook.
The BBQ community got behind it almost immediately.
That first run sold incredibly well and something unexpected happened.
People started messaging us.
"Can you make this?"
"Could you design one of these?"
"What about a smash plate?"
"Can you make a rib rack?"
Those messages shaped the future of CLD Fabrication.
Many of our products today exist because someone in the community asked if we could build them.
Rather than guessing what people wanted, I simply listened.
From Facebook Messages to a Real Business
Back then, every order came through Facebook Messenger.
Payments were made by bank transfer.
Customers simply trusted that we'd make the product and send it.
That trust meant everything.
As demand grew, we knew we needed something more professional.
That's when CLDFab.com.au was born.
Having our own website allowed customers to order securely, browse our growing product range and shop with confidence.
It was a huge step forward.
The Reality of Running a Side Hustle
Something many people don't realise is that CLD Fabrication is still a side business.
I still work my full-time job.
The business gets one dedicated day each week, along with countless late nights spent designing products, answering customer enquiries, packing orders after the kids have gone to bed and planning what's next.
If you have purchased from us, you would have mostly likely seen that shipping notification email come through late at night.
It's certainly not glamorous.
But when you genuinely love what you're building, those late nights don't feel like work.
Looking back at how far we've come with such limited time available, I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved.
Built By the BBQ Community
None of this would have happened without the Australian BBQ community.
Every order.
Every recommendation.
Every social media share.
Every review.
Every suggestion for a new product.
It has all helped transform what started as a hobby into something that feels genuinely special.
This business exists because thousands of barbecue enthusiasts believed in a small Australian fabricator trying to build something different.
For that, I couldn't be more grateful.
Always Chasing Better
One thing I've learnt during this journey is that perfection doesn't exist.
Even today, every new product gets reviewed, tested, redesigned and improved.
If someone offers feedback, I genuinely want to hear it.
Sometimes that means changing materials.
Sometimes it's tweaking dimensions.
Sometimes it's redesigning an entire product.
Just because something works doesn't mean it can't work better.
That mindset has become part of who we are.
We're always asking ourselves:
"Can we improve this?"
The answer is almost always yes.
The Reviews Still Surprise Me
If I'm being honest, I still find myself wondering whether our products are good enough.
Am I charging the right price?
Is the quality where it should be?
Could we do more?
Then I look at the numbers.
At the time of writing:
- Around 800 customer orders
- Nearly 100 customer reviews
- 99% five-star ratings
- Just one four-star review
- Only two customer complaints, with one being completely justified and helping us improve even further
The evidence is right there.
Yet I still chase better.
Maybe that's exactly why we've continued growing.
More Than Just Weber Kettle Accessories
While many people know us for our Weber kettle accessories, we've grown well beyond that.
Today you'll find products for:
- Weber Kettle BBQs
- Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)
- Kamado BBQs
- Charcoal chimneys
- Pizza cooking
- Fire pits
- BBQ preparation equipment
- General charcoal cooking accessories
But we're far from finished.
We're constantly designing new products and expanding our range to suit even more charcoal barbecues.
Why We Do What We Do
Our mission has always been simple.
Make great BBQ equipment more affordable.
Because we've seen what happens when someone cooks their first incredible brisket.
Or nails their first reverse-seared steak.
Or serves friends a pizza cooked over charcoal.
Someone always asks:
"How did you cook that?"
Before long they're buying their own kettle.
The following weekend they're cooking for someone else.
That's what barbecue is really about.
It's not just food.
It's sharing.
It's teaching.
It's bringing people together around fire, smoke and great conversations.
If CLD Fabrication can help more Australians experience that, then we're doing exactly what we set out to do.
Looking Ahead
We're only getting started.
Our vision is to eventually grow CLD Fabrication into a full-time Australian manufacturing business, allowing us to design even more innovative BBQ accessories, increase stock availability and continue supporting the incredible barbecue community that got us here.
Every new product starts with the same question:
How can we make charcoal cooking better, easier and more affordable?
As long as people keep cooking over charcoal, we'll keep designing products that help them get the most out of every cook.
From our family to yours, thank you for supporting Australian manufacturing, supporting small business, and supporting CLD Fabrication.
We can't wait to show you what's next.
Ready to Upgrade Your BBQ?
Whether you're looking for Weber kettle accessories, charcoal chimneys, pizza steels, smash plates, or premium Australian-made BBQ accessories, we're here to help you get more from every cook.
Explore the range at CLDFab.com.au and join thousands of Australians cooking with gear that's built tough, Aussie made and engineered for serious BBQ.
