Camden Forge Company

Camden Forge Company

Company type	Private (until 1945), Public (from 1945)
Industry	Steel forging, manufacturing
Founded	1901 (1901)
Founder	John Maenak, Samuel Howe, Ward Kerlin
Defunct	1956 (1956)
Headquarters	Camden, New Jersey , United States
Key people	Samuel Purdy Howe (President), John Maenak (Vice President and General Manager), Ward D. Kerlin (Secretary-Treasurer), H. A. Siegener (Secretary-Treasurer from mid-1940s), Lowell Birrell (Director and Chairman from 1954)
Products	Custom forged iron and steel components including rods, bolts, steers, axles, press columns, shafts, locomotive parts, marine shafts, rolls, wrenches, turbine shafts
Number of employees	1,110 (1946)

The Camden Forge Company was a U.S.-based steel forging enterprise established in 1901 and dissolved in 1956. It specialized in producing bespoke forgings including rods, bolts, steers, and axles. Initially, its main office was located at the intersection of Mount Ephraim Avenue and Bulson Avenue in Camden, New Jersey, later relocating to Mount Ephraim Avenue near the Atlantic City Railroad. The firm provided components for vessels constructed by New York Shipbuilding Company during both World War I and World War II. In July 1942, Camden Forge was awarded the Army and Navy "E" pennant adorned with five stars in recognition of outstanding wartime manufacturing performance. At its public auction in 1956, the company’s valuation stood at $8.5 million. Its Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code was 10399.

History

Camden Forge was founded in 1901 by John Maenak, Samuel Howe, and Ward Kerlin. Leadership roles included Howe as president and Maenak serving as vice president and general manager through the late 1940s, while Kerlin held the position of secretary-treasurer until H. A. Siegener took over in the mid-1940s.

Beginning with a modest workforce of 12 employees, the company expanded its infrastructure between 1917 and 1918 by adding new offices, forge presses, and machinery. After a devastating fire destroyed its original workshop in 1922, the facility was promptly reconstructed. During World War II, the Navy invested $3 million to enhance Camden Forge’s production capabilities. Another fire in 1940, caused by an oil hose leak, damaged one of the buildings. In 1945, Camden Forge transitioned into a publicly held corporation with over 1,300 shareholders. Postwar accolades included receiving the Army and Navy "E" pennant for surpassing production goals.

The company experienced a downturn amid widespread deindustrialization during the 1950s; Lowell Birrell gained control in 1954 and ceased manufacturing operations by 1955. The company ultimately shut down in 1956. Seven years later, the now-abandoned plant was destroyed under suspicious circumstances believed to be arson.

Employment

Employment

Year	1901	1907	1914	1929	1936	1937	1941	1946	1951
Employees	12	60–70	50–90	100	300	235	800	1,110	600

At its inception in 1901, Camden Forge employed a dozen workers with total payroll expenses amounting to $25,000. By 1907, staffing increased to between 60 and 70 employees; however, a labor strike led to workforce replacements. In 1914, employee numbers fluctuated from approximately 50 during slow periods up to 90 during peak demand. Despite expansion during World War I, employment was constrained to about 100 workers by 1929 due to the Great Depression. Recovery efforts boosted staff count close to 300 by 1936, though it dipped slightly to 235 in 1937. The workforce grew considerably throughout World War II, reaching 800 employees in 1941 and peaking at 1,110 by 1946. By 1951, employee numbers fell to around 600 while total wages reached an estimated $2.33 million.

Legal issues

Following Camden Forge’s closure in 1958, Herman De Pova initiated litigation against the company over an alleged breach of employment agreement. Originally hired in 1954 by director Lowell Birrell at an annual salary of $20,000 to assess financial losses, Pova later received a competing offer from Erie Forge and Steel. Birrell responded by offering a salary increase to $35,000 plus a ten percent share of profits for the year 1955. However, after Birrell resigned and failed to fulfill payment obligations, Pova pursued legal action to recover unpaid compensation.

President

• Samuel Purdy Howe – 1901–1947

Vice Presidents

• John Maenak – 1901 through the 1940s
• Walter S. Cox – Confirmed in 1947
• John T. Nicholson Jr. – Confirmed in 1953

Secretary and Treasurer

• Ward D. Kerlin – 1901–1942
  • Kerlin concluded his initial term as Class B director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia in 1942 and secured re-election.
• H. A. Siegener – Recorded in 1947

Assistant Secretary and Treasurer

• R. C. Stewart – Documented in 1947

General Manager

• John Maenak – From 1901 through the 1940s
• D. Adam – Noted in 1947

Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee

• Lowell Birrell
  • Took control of Camden Forge Company in 1954

Product Range

Camden Forge was known for manufacturing custom forged and machined iron and steel components, including but not limited to:

• Bars of High and Low Carbon Steel
• Press Columns and Rams
• Pull Back Cylinders and Water Cylinders
• Valve Bodies and Plungers
• Seamless Steel Rings
• Lathe Spindles, both solid and hollow bored
• Crank Shafts, Cam Shafts, Eccentric Shafts, Crusher Shafts for Power Presses
• Gear and Pinion Blanks
• Locomotive Parts: Side Rods, Main Rods, Crank Pins, Axles, Rod Straps, Guides, Frame Components (iron and steel)
• Hammered Iron Bars utilized in locomotive maintenance
• Marine Shafts along with Connecting Rods and Eccentric Rods
• Various Types of Rolls: Bending, Feed, Straightening, Embossing Rolls
• Large Wrenches and Saw Arbors
• Forgings for Steam Engines
• Pump Crank Shafts and Connecting Rods
• Large Nuts, Turbine Shafts, Mill Shafting
• Axles for Trolley Cars and Electric Motors

This extensive product lineup catered to a wide array of industrial fields, strengthening Camden Forge's position within the heavy manufacturing sector.