Worthington Industries, Inc. kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with a commitment to dedicate 500 hours of volunteer service to the communities where the company does business.

The company was founded in 1955 by John H. McConnell, who saw a niche in the steel industry and answered it with specialty processing. Today, the company has 8,000 employees in 66 locations in 10 countries around the world. Its three divisions, Worthington Steel, Dietrich Metal Framing and Worthington Cylinders, represent the company's focus on its core competencies and continue the company's innovative heritage.

In 2005, Worthington Industries corporate offices began partnering with Meals on Wheels. Each day, two employees deliver a week's worth of meals to the elderly and handicapped in the Columbus area.

Lauren Rogers, a welder at Worthington Cylinders—Columbus volunteers at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank sorting food once a week. "I like spending time with the people at Mid-Ohio," said Rogers. "I think it is really great that the company lets us take the time to help people in need, because doing that makes us all feel good."

In addition to the volunteer service, Worthington Industries has several other activities planned throughout the year.

Worthington Industries is a leading diversified metal processing company with annual sales of nearly $3 billion. The Columbus, Ohio-based company is a value-added North American steel processor and a leader in manufactured products such as automotive aftermarket stampings, pressure cylinders, metal framing, metal ceiling grid systems and laser-welded blanks. Founded in 1955, Worthington 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 employer/employee relationships in American industry, serves as the company's foundation.