Dietrich Metal Framing has formed a joint venture with Pacific Steel Construction.

The joint venture, Dietrich Residential Construction, is a limited liability corporation with 50% ownership by each company. Its headquarters will be located in Franklin, Tenn.

The new joint venture will focus on the residential construction market, combining Dietrich's leadership in residential steel framing with Pacific Steel Construction's experience in military housing construction. Dietrich Metal Framing, long a leader in the commercial construction industry, also provides expertise in mid-rise construction, blending a systems-integration approach with design/build methodology.

"Dietrich Residential Construction will focus on and maximize key strengths of each of our companies," said Ed Ponko, President of Dietrich Metal Framing. "This joint venture will further our mission to contribute to the growth of the residential steel framing market and the use of light-gauge steel. It will also prove helpful in our mid-rise construction efforts."

Operations are scheduled to begin immediately.

Since 2000, Pacific Steel has framed over 1000 military homes out of steel framing members and is recognized as the leader in residential steel framing for U.S. military housing projects. Pacific has completed steel framing projects for each branch of the U.S. military with a focus on military construction and privatized housing projects.

Dietrich Metal Framing is a Worthington Industries company. Columbus, Ohio, based Worthington Industries is a leading diversified metal processing company with annual sales of more than $2 billion. Worthington employs more than 8,000 people and operates 63 facilities in 10 countries. Founded in 1955, the company operates under a long-standing corporate philosophy rooted in the golden rule, with earning money for its shareholders as the first corporate goal. This philosophy, an unwavering commitment to the customer, and one of the strongest employee/employer partnerships in American industry serve as the company's foundation.