Craig Thilges, a retired farmer, bought Hillcrest Forge, Inc. in Arnolds Park over twenty five years ago.  He has built an outstanding business over the years that specializes in ornamental iron works, railings, spiral stairs, dock ladders, lawn ornaments, aluminum & stainless steel welding, and custom frames.  Gary French, a California native, is the shop foreman.  Gary developed his love of welding and working with metal from his father.  “My family has many generations of welders, it was a natural development for me to follow in their footsteps.”  Gary moved to Iowa in 2001 with his family and worked at Agco Corp in Jackson, Minnesota before starting at Hillcrest Forge.

“The nature of the work we do at Hillcrest forge is very artistic itself and we take a lot of pride in all the work we do. Quality is always a top priority.  Most all of the work we do requires the forming and manipulation of materials to make them into the forms we desire and what best meets the customers’ desired designs.”

Hillcrest Forge’s custom frames, on display at A Piece of Work, Inc., are designed with the customer and the artwork in mind.  Each one is handcrafted for special occasions from graduations to anniversaries and is designed to compliment many uses.