The journey begins
The year was 1912. A lot was happening in America.
Arizona became the 48th state. Cy Young retired from baseball with 511 wins. Teddy Roosevelt formed the Progressive Party.
In Chicago, Walter S. Leeds and Carl D. Kelly established a steel warehouse named after René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, the famous French explorer. They went with the shorter, simpler LaSalle. It was the first of many wise choices they would make in the coming years.
The demands of a growing country was leading to new mass production methods and a demand for better materials in the steel industry. LaSalle kept pace with the growth, providing customers with bar steels, which helped manufacturers lower selling prices and broaden their markets for automobiles, washers and other products.
Rising to the occasion
Not that progress was without its obstacles. As the Roaring Twenties gave way to the Great Depression, LaSalle and its employees persevered by working together. Baskets of food were made available at the plant. Garden plots and seeds were provided for anyone who wanted them. When orders were scarce, make-work jobs were created. Despite the hardships, LaSalle continued to lead the charge, developing stronger, more economical materials.
In the field of high strength steel bars, LaSalle patented a process for producing properties in bars that eliminated the need for heat treatment. The result was STRESSPROOF®, the original bar steel with properties in the bar ready for use. During World War II, STRESSPROOF® proved so vital to the production of much needed machine tools that special priorities were
granted for its production. For its contributions, LaSalle was awarded the coveted Army-Navy “E” Award
A turning point
In the years that followed, accelerated operating speeds and the demand for lighter weight products increased. Where others wavered, LaSalle listened to their customers and exceeded their needs.
The drive for better solutions and continued improvement resulted in LaSalle Steel combining with Niagara Cold Drawn Operation in 1997. With an ongoing focus on customer service, the new organization includes eight nationwide operating facilities and some of the industry’s most respected proprietary products.
The strength of the combined companies continues to advance the industry. FATIGUE-PROOF®, a high strength steel bar that lowers end costs by eliminating the need for heat-treating and secondary operations, was born of this service-oriented approach. Another revolutionary product, e.t.d.® 150®, answered the call for a machinable steel bar material with
Eyes forward
One hundred years later, Niagara LaSalle Corporation renews our commitment to the industry, our people and our customers. Because it is when they excel that we succeed. We look forward to knowing that with your help, 
Niagara LaSalle Corporation will continue to challenge convention and move our industry in new directions.