Matt Van Alsburg
STI/SPFA recently spoke with Matt Van Alsburg, President at Advance Tank & Construction, about his career in the steel fabrication industry.
STI/SPFA: Tell us about the history of your company.
Matt Van Alsburg: Advance Tank’s origins trace back to 1968, when my grandparents, Spence and Betty Van Alsburg, founded Prairie Tank. The company specialized in the design, fabrication, and construction of industrial and municipal tanks, as well as other plate structures. From 1968 to 1984, Prairie Tank actively built and repaired field-erected tanks across the continental United States.
Due to economic and union challenges, Spence and Betty sent their son—and my father—Scott Van Alsburg to Colorado, where he established Advance Tank in 1982 as a non-union company. In 2005, leadership transitioned to Jim and Lisa Clay—my aunt and uncle—with Lisa being the daughter of Spence and Betty. Today, Advance Tank remains a family-controlled business, but we are proud to include three additional owners who are key employees and leaders within the company.
Advance Tank & Construction also has a long-standing relationship with STI/SPFA. Spence Van Alsburg once served as President of the Steel Tank Institute–Steel Plate Fabricators Association. Both Scott Van Alsburg and Jim Clay have served on the board of directors and have been active members of the Field Erected Tank Section, with Scott having served as chairman in years past.
STI/SPFA: How did you get your start in the industry?
Van Alsburg: Advance Tank was founded by my grandfather and later run by my father, so in many ways, I was born into the company. That said, my father never earned a paycheck from any business other than Advance Tank, and it often left him wondering whether he might have found fulfillment doing something else. As a result, he made it clear that if it were up to him—he wouldn’t hire me. I needed to go out and find my own path.
After graduating from college, I became a high school economics teacher, then transitioned into the sports event industry. Eventually, I decided to pursue a career in construction, with plans to start building custom homes. As fate would have it, that decision coincided with the economic downturn of 2008. I pivoted and joined the Advance Tank team as an Account Manager—marking the beginning of my own chapter in the family business.
STI/SPFA: What do you like best about working in the industry?
Van Alsburg: There are two things I really enjoy about the work we do. First, I love problem-solving, and this industry provides endless opportunities for it. Whether it’s figuring out how to repair a tank or tackling an issue of our own making, there’s always a new challenge to keep you engaged.
Second, I appreciate the variety of business sectors we get to work in. Early in my career, I found myself visiting a refinery, a power plant, and a meat packing facility—all in the same week. I remember thinking, “I used to drive past these places and wonder what went on behind the fence—now I’m right in the middle of it.” I’m just as interested in what our customers do as what we do. This keeps me going.
Field erected storage tanks in Advario, Texas
STI/SPFA: What’s been your favorite or most memorable moment of your career so far?
Van Alsburg: This is a tough question to answer. I have some incredible “billboard-worthy” stories—but unfortunately, I can’t share them due to contractual NDAs. The more I reflect on it, though, the more I realize that it’s not just one moment—it’s the collection of memories built with the people I’ve worked alongside.
Whether it’s business development meetings that took unexpected turns, job walks that went sideways, spontaneous adventures while traveling, or the highs and lows of great and not-so-great projects—it all comes down to the people.
When it’s all said and done, the most memorable part of this journey will be the people and the stories we created together.
STI/SPFA: What advice would you give someone who is interested in working in the industry?
Van Alsburg: Be patient and ready to learn. Too many people want quick results without taking the time to truly understand their craft. I’ve found that my success comes from investing the time to learn the job, understand our product, and get to know our customers’ processes and needs.
It’s equally important to learn what others do within our company. I like to call it “job adjacent”—understanding the roles around you, what others need, and why they need it. When you take the time to develop that broader awareness, it becomes very hard not to succeed.
Clarifier
STI/SPFA: What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing the industry in the next three to five years?
Van Alsburg: This is a difficult question to answer because our industry is influenced by so many factors—personnel needs, supply chain challenges, regulatory changes, and economic uncertainty. However, if I had to point to one core issue, it would be people.
We’re simply not inspiring a passion for construction in the next generation. Young people are increasingly drawn to the tech sector and other non-craft career paths. But without people—skilled, motivated individuals—nothing in our industry can move forward.
STI/SPFA: How has STI/SPFA Membership helped you and your company succeed and grow in today’s marketplace?
Van Alsburg: Peer-to-peer interactions are rare in our industry. It’s a closed-off sector, and it can be difficult to engage in open conversations with others without feeling like you’re putting yourself at risk.
STI/SPFA has created a valuable environment where we can connect with peers, share insights, and have forward-thinking discussions about the challenges we face and the changes that need to happen.
