History of Steelcraft

Steelcraft was founded in 1933 by the Levinson family as a building products distribution company in downtown Cincinnati. Prosperity turned into dramatic growth in 1942 when the company began manufacturing various building products such as doors and steel casement windows. Government contracts spurred this growth during World War II and included prefabricated steel buildings, various ship and aircraft parts, pipe rails, and bailey bridges. In 1946, Steelcraft secured its 32 acre site in suburban Blue Ash and built its first 20,000 square feet of factory space. Today, Steelcraft occupies 580, 000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space.

Steelcraft sold its metal building division to Inland Steel Products Company in 1959. American Standard purchased Steelcraft from the Levinson family in 1969. After 19 years of successful ownership, American Standard sold Steelcraft to MascoTech in 1988. In order to focus on their residential core business, MascoTech sold Steelcraft to IR Security & Safety in 1996.

Today, Steelcraft doors and frames are distributed in the United States and in the rapidly growing overseas market. As a key member of IR Security & Safety, Steelcraft is well positioned to continue its dramatic growth and success into the twenty first century.

Steelcraft Timeline

1941
Prosperity turns into dramatic growth when the company begins manufacturing doors and steel casement windows. A series of World War II government contracts follows, and the Al Levinson Company is renamed Steelcraft Manufacturing Company.

1948
Steelcraft builds a modern manufacturing facility on 32 acres in the Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash. The facility turns out fabricated metal buildings, steel casement windows, steel doors and frames, steel sliding closet doors and steel lintels.

1954
The Steel Door Institute is created, with Steelcraft as a founding member. The SDI publishes and helps maintain standards in the production of steel doors and frames for the construction industry.

1959
Steelcraft sells its prefab building division to Inland Steel Products Company. By concentrating on creating metal doors and frames, Steelcraft will soon become the leading supplier of metal doors and frames to the commercial market.

1969
The American Standard Company buys Steelcraft from the Levinson family. Steelcraft expands into the residential market with the creation of Perma-Door, the first steel edge entry door with a unique insulated honeycomb core.

1988
Masco Industries purchases Steelcraft from American Standard.

1991
A 100,000 sq. ft. on-site warehouse is built to reduce Steelcraft's material handling time and speed up delivery.

1996
Ingersoll-Rand purchases Steelcraft to complement its architectural hardware group. Now Ingersoll-Rand is the industry's "total opening" supplier.

1999
A West Coast custom manufacturing facility is opened to allow Steelcraft to better serve its U.S. customers and the rapidly expanding overseas market.

2002
Today, as a part of IR Security & Safety, Steelcraft manufactures the commercial construction market's most complete line of distinctive steel doors and frames.