Atlantic Steel facts for kids
The Atlantic Steel Company was a big company in Atlanta, Georgia. It had a huge steel mill where they made steel products. Today, a modern area called Atlantic Station stands on the same spot.
Contents
The Story of Atlantic Steel
How It Started
The Atlantic Steel Company began a long time ago, in 1901. It was first called the Atlanta Hoop Company. They started with 120 employees. Their main products were ties for cotton bales and hoops for barrels.
Later, the company changed its name. First, it became the Atlanta Steel Company. Then, in December 1915, it was officially named the Atlantic Steel Company.
Important Leaders
From 1908 to 1922, a person named Thomas K. Glenn was the company's president. He was a very important leader. You can even see a copy of his old office. It is at the Millennium Gate museum in Atlantic Station.
The plant had a special steam whistle. It made a deep sound. People called this whistle "Mr. Tom." They named it after Tom Glenn, the early president.
What They Made
By 1952, the company had grown a lot. It employed 2,100 people. They made many different things from steel. This included fences for farms and chickens. They also made barbed wire, nails, and parts for buildings. They even made welding rods and fence posts.
Facing Challenges
In 1958, Atlantic Steel faced a big problem. Steel companies from other countries started selling steel for less money. This made it hard for smaller companies like Atlantic Steel to compete.
Because of this, Atlantic Steel only produced 37% of the steel it could make that year. They even talked to the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. This group in the government helps make rules about trade. Atlantic Steel asked for help.
The Company's End
In 1979, a company from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, called Ivaco, bought Atlantic Steel. But the competition kept getting tougher. Because of this, parts of the steel plant started to close down in the 1980s.
By 1997, the number of employees had dropped a lot. In 1979, there were 1,400 workers. By 1997, only 400 people still worked there.
In 1998, a company called Jacoby Development bought the entire complex. They paid about $76 million for it. They then tore down the old steel mill buildings. After cleaning up the land, they built the modern Atlantic Station in its place.
