Lakeside Steel Celebrates Centennial in Welland
09/22/2009 - Lakeside Steel celebrates 100 years of operations at its facility in Welland, Ont., by hosting a day-long event that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new upset and thread line.
Lakeside Steel Inc. celebrated 100 years of operations at its facility in Welland, Ont., by hosting a day-long event at the facility on September 16.
The centennial celebration began with a ribbon cutting ceremony for Lakeside Steel's new upset and thread line. Lakeside Steel's President and Chief Operating Officer, Ron Bedard, and Canadian Auto Workers National President, Ken Lewenza, were on hand to officially open the new line.
The opening of the upset and thread line represents the culmination of Lakeside Steel's $5 million investment and will add 40 new jobs, bringing back work that previously had been performed for the company in the U.S.
A ceremonial last "gold spike" was driven in by Bedard, signifying the re-establishment of rail access on the property. The onsite rail access will be available to bring Lakeside Steel's products, including the new upset and thread products, to market. The company expects to ship product by rail directly from the Welland facility within the coming months.
Other celebratory activities included the dedications of a commemorative plaque and historical monument; the sealing of a time capsule constructed from Lakeside pipe; and speeches by management, local and national labor representatives, political representatives from the federal, provincial, regional, and municipal levels, along with other local dignitaries.
Many current and former employees, their respective families, and a number of the company's customers and suppliers contributed to an estimated attendance of more than 500 people.
"Lakeside Steel is poised to take advantage of the inevitable improvement in economic conditions, and we will continue to invest in this business and the region in pursuit of another 100 years of operations here in Welland," Bedard stated.
Lakeside Steel's business has a long history in the pipe and tube manufacturing sector. Operations at the Welland facilities began in 1909 under the ownership of the Page-Hersey Iron Tube & Lead Co. Over the years, the business expanded, adding new mills and replacing old ones as technology evolved. The Welland business persevered through two World Wars and provided support services to both World War efforts. During WWII, the facility supplied shell forgings, boiler tubing for the naval effort, and pipe for the production of aircraft frames, bazooka guns, and mortars.
In 1965, Stelco Inc., Canada's then-largest steel company, purchased Page-Hersey Iron Tube & Lead Co. and, in 1985, the Welland facility became Stelpipe Ltd. Under the Stelpipe banner, the business underwent significant modernization and expanded in various pipe and tube markets including commercial and industrial pipe, automotive, mining, and oil and gas. On November 1, 2005, Lakeside Steel Corp. purchased the Welland facility from Stelco.
