Zidell Companies
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Industrial conglomerate, Shipbuilding, Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Sam Zidell |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon , United States |
Area served | Pacific Northwest, United States |
Key people | Jay Zidell (CEO), Matt French |
| Products | Steel tube fittings, barges (until 2017), barge leasing services |
Number of employees | 200 |
| Parent | Zidell family |
The Zidell Companies constitute a family-operated industrial conglomerate based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Among its principal subsidiaries are Zidell Marine, a shipbuilding enterprise that focused on constructing barges from 1961 until it ceased operations in 2017, and Tube Forgings of America Inc.
Following World War II, Zidell emerged as the foremost shipbreaking enterprise in the United States. In September 2016, the organization declared its intention to permanently shut down its barge construction division along with its South Waterfront facility by 2017. The last barge was delivered in June 2017, signifying a strategic realignment prompted by shifts in market dynamics and property values.
Remaining under private ownership by the Zidell family, the company employs roughly 200 individuals and concentrates on manufacturing steel tube fittings as well as providing barge leasing services. This evolution illustrates Zidell’s adaptation within the manufacturing and shipbuilding sectors, prioritizing sustainable expansion and business diversification.
History
The origins of Zidell trace back to 1912 when Sam Zidell (originally Yeschie Zajdell), an immigrant from Ukraine, started selling used machinery in Roseburg, Oregon. In 1913, he established Zidell Machinery and Supply Company in Portland to serve the industrial market of the region.
In 1946, Emery Zidell, Sam’s son and company leader, purchased the Commercial Iron Works shipyard located in Portland and launched Zidell Ship Dismantling Company. Leveraging the postwar surge in demand for scrap metal, Zidell became the largest shipbreaking firm in America by the 1960s, dismantling a total of 336 vessels including WWII Liberty ships and naval support craft.
Beginning in 1948, Zidell salvaged industrial valves from its shipbreaking activities, founding Zidell Valve Corporation, which was eventually sold to Pon Holdings in 1997. In 1955, Emery established Tube Forgings of America (TFA), which grew into a leading producer of carbon steel welding fittings and was the first U.S. company in its field to achieve ISO-9002 certification.
In 1960, Emery created Zidell Marine Corporation to construct barges utilizing recycled steel sourced from shipbreaking. As demand increased, the company transitioned to using new steel materials, manufacturing a total of 277 barges between 1961 and 2017—predominantly double-hulled tankers during later years. At its production height, Zidell Marine employed approximately 90 staff at its South Waterfront location.
Since 1996, leadership has been under Jay Zidell, Emery’s son and current CEO. In 2010, Matt French, Emery’s grandson, joined the enterprise to spearhead new business initiatives.
In July 2011, Zidell took part in a $20 million cleanup effort along the Willamette River aimed at remediating contaminated shoreline near the Ross Island Bridge. Portions of this land have since been earmarked for real estate development projects including the Zidell Yards.
Currently, both Zidell Marine and Tube Forgings operate as family-managed businesses under Jay Zidell’s guidance. As of mid-2017, their workforce totals about 200 employees throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Tube Forgings maintains a manufacturing facility employing around 140 people within Portland’s Northwest Industrial district.
In September 2016, Zidell announced it would permanently discontinue its barge construction operations and vacate its 33-acre South Waterfront site by 2017. The final barge was completed on June 16, 2017; however, barge leasing services continue independently.
References
- Company History - Official Zidell Companies website
- Extended Journey - South Waterfront Community Current, Winter 2007 edition
- Zidell Waterfront Site - Report from DEQ Voluntary Cleanup Program (PDF)
- Decommissioning of USS Nicholas - Naval History resource
- Zidell Marine Shipyard - Shipbuilding History archive
- Commercial Iron Works Shipyard - Shipbuilding History archive
External links
- Oregon shipbuilding firms
- Portland, Oregon-based companies
- Privately owned Oregon businesses
- Established in Oregon in 1916
- American enterprises founded in 1916
- Manufacturing firms founded in 1916
- U.S. family-owned businesses
- American companies established in 1916
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment