Founded in 1900 by visionaries who demanded that manufacturing stay local, The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company pooled together community resources and grit to grow into one of the nation's largest steel producers.
In 1955, the first ever Fortune 500 list was compiled and Sheet and Tube ranked 70 on the list. Right behind Dow Chemical and larger than companies such as Coca-Cola, Heinz, Johnson & Johnson, Anheuser-Busch, and Marathon Oil, the company had revenue over $600 million and over 30,000 employees.
Yet by the late 70s, all was lost. Black Monday in 1977 saw the closing of the Briar Hill Works. Thousands lost their jobs. A community was shattered, but we persevered.
What have we learned over the past decades? Economics can crush a town, but can't kill the spirit of its people. Youngstown survived. Hardened, wizened, smaller, but the blue collar grit and determination, the hometown pride and humbleness could not be quieted. In this spirit, we bring back The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. While we are a different company than what once was, today Youngstown Sheet and Tube's mission is to serve the community and diaspora of the Mahoning Valley by reimagining Youngstown manufacturing and constructing rugged hometown pride worldwide.
Through our sub-brands (and with a few surprises up our sleeves) our long-term vision is to construct Youngstown pride and improve sense of community through locally manufactured quality metal products and branded apparel respected for their strength and durability, and through innovative marketing and community outreach. We can't do it all at once, and will make some compromises as we start, but all of our efforts are devoted to these goals.
So, enough. Youngstown has been through enough. Stop the presses. Start the blast furnace. Steel is back.