Lehigh Structural Steel Company
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Steel production and fabrication |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Fate | Sold |
| Successor | Thomas & Betts |
| Headquarters | 1 Allen Street Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Products | steel |
| Subsidiaries | Lehigh-Lancaster Inc. (Lancaster, South Carolina) |
The Lehigh Structural Steel Company operated as a steel producer headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In 1992, the company was acquired by Thomas & Betts, leading to the shutdown of its manufacturing sites.
History
Established in 1919 amid Allentown’s industrial boom by Thomas R. Mullen, William H. Mohr, and Les Kift, the business occupied a 55-acre property adjacent to the Lehigh River. Its infrastructure featured heavy fabrication shops, tower assembly facilities, and galvanizing operations. Lehigh Steel stood as the sole large-scale steel fabricator within Allentown.
The firm’s logistics depended on rail service provided by the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which facilitated inbound shipments of coal and iron ore and outbound deliveries of finished steel products.
Lehigh Steel specialized in producing structural steel components for bridges, aircraft hangars, and skyscrapers, fabricating trusses and girders that measured up to 150 feet in length and weighed as much as 75 tons. The company also produced galvanized and chromium steel variants. During the 1960s, its workforce exceeded 500 employees, and by the 1980s, annual revenues approached $90 million.
Expansion efforts in 1967 included acquiring Kaufman Fabricators located in Texas and Wolko Engineering based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, along with inaugurating a second manufacturing facility named Lehigh-Lancaster Inc. in Lancaster, South Carolina.
In June 1973, the company encountered labor unrest when a wildcat strike erupted over welder incentive pay issues, temporarily disrupting production. At the same time, competition intensified due to an influx of lower-cost imported steel.
The Allentown plant experienced a temporary closure in early 1983 after laying off 350 workers amid demands for wage concessions; operations resumed in July 1984. Subsequently, Lehigh secured a significant contract to supply structural steel for two office towers in New York City, maintaining production into early 1985 with approximately 260 employees and annual sales near $90 million. Meanwhile, the South Carolina facility obtained a contract to provide steel components to Mack Trucks for its new plant in Winnsboro.
Throughout the mid-1980s, escalating imports—particularly Canadian steel being dumped into the Northeastern U.S., which was Lehigh’s primary market—resulted in substantial order reductions.
By 1989, after incurring losses totaling $10 million over five years and facing financial challenges, Lehigh halted fabrication activities at its Allentown location but continued operations at the Lancaster plant.
In June 1990, local investors purchased the Allentown site for $3 million and converted it into a leasing property; only about twelve executives remained employed there.
The Lancaster facility was sold off in June 1992. Subsequently, on August 25 of that year, Thomas & Betts, an electrical equipment manufacturer headquartered in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, acquired the remaining assets of Lehigh Structural Steel.
The Waterfront
In 2012, the Waterfront Development Company unveiled a plan to redevelop the 26-acre Lehigh Structural Steel property into The Waterfront, a comprehensive mixed-use complex comprising twelve Class A structures. This development offers over 1,250,000 square feet of combined office, residential, retail, and dining spaces situated along the Lehigh River. Notable features include a landscaped River Walk, two open-air plazas, private docks providing river access, and a promenade dedicated to restaurants and shops.
Anticipated outcomes of the development include the creation of approximately 2,800 employment opportunities, the addition of 750 new residents, and an annual contribution exceeding $4.2 million in real estate tax revenue. The entire project is planned to be completed over a decade, with buildings opening in stages as construction progresses.
The Waterfront Development Company is managed by Mark and Zachary Jaindl, founders of Jaindl Enterprises, who focus on historic redevelopment and adaptive reuse strategies aimed at fostering intelligent urban expansion while limiting suburban sprawl.