Republic Steel
Encyclopedia
Republic Steel was once the third largest steel
producer in the United States
.
The Republic Iron and Steel Company was founded in Youngstown, Ohio
in 1899.
In 1927, Cyrus S. Eaton
acquired and combined Republic with several other small steel companies, with the goal of becoming large enough to rival the United States Steel Corporation. The newly named Republic Steel Corporation was headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio
and became America's third largest steel company, trailing only U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel
after acquiring Bourne-Fuller Steel and the Central Alloy Steel Company located in Massillon, Ohio
in the 1930s.http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929175,00.html
Tom M. Girdler became the first board chairman. Eaton hired Girdler from Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp., where he had served as president. Girdler used scientists to modernize Republic Steel with the introduction of better alloys such as "light steel". During World War II
while still chairman of Republic Steel, Girdler relocated to California to serve as CEO of Consolidated Aircraft
, the nation's leading warplane manufacturer. Following the war, he left Consolidated, taking with him Everett Dyer, Consoldiated's top B-24 test pilot, to run Republic's aviation department.
Although relations improved after World War II
, Republic Steel was known for its labor problems during the Depression. On Memorial Day
, May 26, 1937, a strike escalated into the Memorial Day massacre of 1937
, in which Chicago police fired into an unarmed group of protesters, and killed ten outright. This was documented by the 1937 short film Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage
. CEO Girdler never signed the labor contract.
Thomas Patton, a private attorney who worked on the merger that formed Republic Steel was hired in 1936 to form Republic's internal legal department. As general counsel in the 1930s and 1940s, he negotiated with workers on behalf of management during the steel strikes. He went on to become president, then chief executive and chairman.
Republic Steel was one of the last major steel firms to use low-phosphorus Adirondack
magnetite
s, operating the Chateaugay Ore & Iron Company in Lyon Mountain, New York
from 1939 to 1967. The Chateaugay mine was one of the deepest commercial iron ore mines in the United States, with stopes as much as 3,500 feet (1,050 m) below the surface.
Republic Steel remained prosperous until the 1970s, when rising foreign imports, labor costs, and other factors caused severe stress at Republic and throughout the steel industry in the U.S.
In 1984, Republic merged into the Jones and Laughlin Steel
subsidiary of the LTV Corporation, with the new entity being known as LTV Steel.
In December 2001, LTV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
, and a few months later International Steel Group
purchased LTV.
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
producer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Republic Iron and Steel Company was founded in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in 1899.
In 1927, Cyrus S. Eaton
Cyrus S. Eaton
Cyrus Stephen Eaton was a Canadian-born investment banker, businessman and philanthropist in the United States, with a career that spanned seventy years....
acquired and combined Republic with several other small steel companies, with the goal of becoming large enough to rival the United States Steel Corporation. The newly named Republic Steel Corporation was headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and became America's third largest steel company, trailing only U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
after acquiring Bourne-Fuller Steel and the Central Alloy Steel Company located in Massillon, Ohio
Massillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
in the 1930s.http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929175,00.html
Tom M. Girdler became the first board chairman. Eaton hired Girdler from Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp., where he had served as president. Girdler used scientists to modernize Republic Steel with the introduction of better alloys such as "light steel". During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
while still chairman of Republic Steel, Girdler relocated to California to serve as CEO of Consolidated Aircraft
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...
, the nation's leading warplane manufacturer. Following the war, he left Consolidated, taking with him Everett Dyer, Consoldiated's top B-24 test pilot, to run Republic's aviation department.
Although relations improved after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Republic Steel was known for its labor problems during the Depression. On Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
, May 26, 1937, a strike escalated into the Memorial Day massacre of 1937
Memorial Day massacre of 1937
In the Memorial Day massacre of 1937, the Chicago Police Department shot and killed ten unarmed demonstrators in Chicago, on May 30, 1937. The incident took place during the "Little Steel Strike" in the United States....
, in which Chicago police fired into an unarmed group of protesters, and killed ten outright. This was documented by the 1937 short film Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage
Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage
Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage is a 1937 documentary film which tells the story of a strike at Republic Steel on Memorial Day, May 26, 1937, which escalated into a massacre in which 10 workers were killed, documented by this film....
. CEO Girdler never signed the labor contract.
Thomas Patton, a private attorney who worked on the merger that formed Republic Steel was hired in 1936 to form Republic's internal legal department. As general counsel in the 1930s and 1940s, he negotiated with workers on behalf of management during the steel strikes. He went on to become president, then chief executive and chairman.
Republic Steel was one of the last major steel firms to use low-phosphorus Adirondack
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
s, operating the Chateaugay Ore & Iron Company in Lyon Mountain, New York
Lyon Mountain, New York
Lyon Mountain is a hamlet located in the Town of Dannemora in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 423 at the 2010 census.Lyon Mountain is in the western part of the town....
from 1939 to 1967. The Chateaugay mine was one of the deepest commercial iron ore mines in the United States, with stopes as much as 3,500 feet (1,050 m) below the surface.
Republic Steel remained prosperous until the 1970s, when rising foreign imports, labor costs, and other factors caused severe stress at Republic and throughout the steel industry in the U.S.
In 1984, Republic merged into the Jones and Laughlin Steel
Jones and Laughlin Steel Company
The earliest foundations of Jones and Laughlin Steel Company were the American Iron Company, founded in 1851 by Bernard Lauth, and B. F. Jones founded in 1852a few miles south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. Lauth's interest was bought in 1854 by James H. Laughlin...
subsidiary of the LTV Corporation, with the new entity being known as LTV Steel.
In December 2001, LTV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, and a few months later International Steel Group
International Steel Group
International Steel Group was a steel company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2004 it was ranked #426 on the Fortune 500. It was created after the turn around fund, WL Ross & Co. LLC, purchased LTV Steel in February 2002...
purchased LTV.
Sports sponsorship
- In 1962 Republic Steel offered the use of their steelmarkSteelmarkThe Steelmark is a logo representing steel and the steel industry owned by the American Iron and Steel Institute, and used by it to promote the product and its manufacturers....
logo to the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
football team as a helmet decal. Republic co-owned the rights to the logo at the time. The logo quickly became popular with Steelers fans, and due largely in part to the team's dominance in the 1970s, is now one of the most familiar logos in sports. Ironically, Republic Steel was still based in Cleveland at the time, which was home to the Steelers' arch-rivals, the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.