About the Craftsman
My name is Aleksandr Filippov. I didn’t choose this trade — I grew up in it.
My father worked with sheet metal his entire life, so the workshop was part of my childhood. At eighteen, I began working with my uncle, whose company specialized in the restoration of historic churches, where I learned alongside craftsmen with decades of practical experience. Over time, that knowledge led me to build my own business, working with sheet metal, ventilation systems, and custom metal fabrication. In 2022, I moved to the United States, and a year later I founded FilProfi.
Today, my primary focus is copper. I value it for its durability, versatility, and the way it changes over time, developing a natural patina and character of its own. In my work, I try not to simply repeat existing designs. Even in a familiar piece, there is always an opportunity to improve the construction, refine the details, or find a better way to make it.
Over the years, I have learned that what matters most to me is the quality of the finished work. I believe in using the right materials, building things properly, and creating work I am proud to put my name behind. Every project begins with understanding the client’s idea, discussing the details, and finding the best solution. I am especially drawn to unusual and challenging projects because they push me to think, find new approaches, and continue growing as a craftsman.
My standard for quality is simple: before a piece leaves the workshop, I have to be satisfied with it myself — with every detail and with the way it was made. Just as important is the trust of my clients: honoring agreements, being honest about cost and timing, and taking full responsibility for the result.
I want people to see more than metal in every FilProfi piece. I want them to see the experience, time, and craftsmanship behind it. And one day, when someone in America needs something truly challenging made in copper, I want them to hear:
“Call Aleksandr Filippov. He can handle it.”
About the Workshop
I work from Urban Workshop in Southern California — a large professional makerspace that brings together craftspeople, entrepreneurs, engineers, and professionals from a wide range of technical fields.
With approximately 28,000 square feet of workspace, Urban Workshop offers an extensive range of professional equipment for metalworking, welding, machining, CNC, woodworking, and many other disciplines. This environment provides not only access to serious fabrication capabilities, but also the opportunity to work alongside people with extensive practical experience and knowledge across many different fields.
I use my own specialized machinery and tools for sheet metal fabrication and keep my equipment, materials, and tools in rented storage at Urban Workshop. When a project requires additional capabilities, I also have access to the workshop’s broader range of professional equipment.
This is especially valuable for the kind of work I do. Every custom project requires a different approach — from hand-forming copper, welding and soldering to rolling, precision sheet metal fabrication, or specialized machinery that would be difficult to accommodate in a small private shop.
At the same time, FilProfi remains a personal craft business. I am personally involved in the design and fabrication of every project and take responsibility for the final result. Urban Workshop provides the environment and capabilities, but the quality of each finished piece comes from experience, choosing the right process, and attention to every detail.
I value working in this kind of environment. It brings together professional equipment, technical knowledge, and a community of people who know how to create things with their own hands. It allows me to keep learning, developing my skills, and taking on increasingly complex and interesting projects.
