Two New Buc-ee’s. Two More Reasons Welding Matters.
In late June and early July 2025, Buc-ee’s made headlines by opening two major new travel
centers in a single week. The first, located in Mount Crawford, Virginia, marked the brand’s first-
ever entry into the state. The second opened in Brunswick, Georgia, adding a third location to
the Peach State. Each facility spans nearly 75,000 square feet and features 120 fueling
positions. These are not ordinary gas stations. These are engineering achievements, and
certified welding is at the heart of every single one of them.
What It Takes to Build a Buc-ee’s
When a fuel and travel center of this scale goes up, the structural and mechanical welding
requirements are enormous. Think about what makes a facility like this function at a high level
every single day: overhead fuel canopies large enough to shelter dozens of vehicles
simultaneously, underground and above-ground fuel storage systems built to code and built to
last, structural steel frameworks supporting tens of thousands of square feet of retail space, fuel
dispensing infrastructure across 120 pumps operating in all weather conditions, and pipe
welding for underground petroleum transfer and vapor recovery systems.
Each of these components demands certified welders who understand the difference between
passing a weld test and delivering a weld that holds up to decades of fuel pressure,
environmental exposure, and regulatory scrutiny.
A canopy that shelters 120 fuel pumps is not just architecture. It is a certified welding
project that must meet structural load requirements, local building codes, and the
demands of high-traffic daily operation.
Buc-ee’s Is Not the Only One Growing
As Sarlo Certified Welding follows developments in the fuel and convenience store industry, one
thing is clear: growth is not slowing down. Buc-ee’s currently operates over 54 locations across
more than 11 states, with new sites confirmed in Ohio, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana,
Wisconsin, Nebraska, and North Carolina. Each new location represents hundreds of welding
hours before the first customer ever fills a tank.
The ripple effect of that growth touches regional contractors, equipment fabricators, canopy
manufacturers, and specialty welding firms like Sarlo Certified Welding. When industry giants
expand, local and regional fuel infrastructure projects follow.
What This Means for You
Whether you are a fuel station operator planning a new location, a contractor bidding on a travel
center buildout, or a property developer entering the fuel retail space, the structural and
mechanical welding on your project will determine how long it lasts and how much it costs you in
maintenance and compliance over time. Sarlo Certified Welding brings certified expertise,
attention to code compliance, and the kind of craftsmanship that large-scale projects demand.
• Fuel canopy fabrication and installation support
• Structural steel welding for commercial fuel facilities
• Underground and above-ground storage tank connections
• Pipe welding for fuel transfer and vapor recovery systems
• Certified welding inspections and documentation
Ready to build or upgrade your fuel station infrastructure? Contact Sarlo Certified
Welding today at sarlocertifiedwelding.com and let our team bring your project to the
finish line with the quality and precision your business depends on.