Early history
The beginning of Northwestern Steel and Wire Co. (NWSW) can be traced back to W.M. Dillon's move toSteel production begins
The first furnaces
In 1936 Washington Dillon's son, P.W. Dillon, installed two electric furnaces and rolling machines in the barbed wire factory in order to make low carbon steel. Two years later the company became known as Northwestern Steel and Wire. The systems and furnaces were successively upgraded in the ensuing years. During World War II, to keep up with escalating demand, two 50 ton electric furnaces were installed. By 1950 150 ton furnaces were in use. Throughout the years, as production increased, larger furnaces became the norm.Living and Working in the Post WWII Years
In the years following the end of World War II, Northwestern Steel and Wire attracted workers from several states away, especially from the Southern states such as Texas and Oklahoma that were in the midst of a post-war recession. These workers were housed in 100 railroad box cars converted to homes and arranged in 4 rows of 25 each along the Rock River. The cars were all painted silver with paint left over from the war and the residents referred to the place as "Silver City". The rental charges were taken out of the employee's pay and there was a "Company Store" adjacent that could be used to buy groceries with company credit.Production in the modern era
By 1968 NWSW installed a massive 250 ton furnace but it was during the 1970s that the scale of the furnaces at the Sterling plant became truly enormous. In 1971 and 1976 two 400 ton Electro-Melt furnaces were put in place, by George F Reitzel Electric. Those were the largest furnaces in the world at the time. A third furnace was converted to 400 ton capacity in 1979. In the same year NWSW employed 4,678 people, the highest number it ever employed as Whiteside County's largest industry. The 1980s started with a worldwide steel depression. That, coupled with stiffer competition, resulted in a significant downturn for the company. For example, during the fourth quarter of 1984 NWSW lost $15.8 million. During the same period a year later they lost $10.4 million.Usage of Steam Locomotives
Northwestern Steel used steam locomotives to move scrap metal to the furnaces and to transfer hot ingots to the rolling machines, long after the era of steam engines was bygone in the broader culture. The company usually bought second hand switchers from railroads such as the Illinois Central. The engines used in the mill weren't graceful or agile, like many of those that once pulled passenger trains. They were unseemly and barely capable of moving 40 mph. In 1960 15 steam locomotives came in from theThe end of an era
On Oct. 7, 1998 NWSW announced its intention to cease production of most of its wire products. At the time its work force hovered around 2,000. With the company's announcement, over 400 people were laid off, bringing the total employed to 1,503. Dec. 19, 2000 the company filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; the company lost more than $83 million that year. On May 18, 2001 Northwestern Steel and Wire, a staple of Sterling for over 100 years shut its doors forever. In 2002, Leggett and Platt, a Fortune 500 company, later reopened a portion of the old mill with a new name, Sterling Steel Company LLC (SSC). Today, Sterling Steel Company employs roughly 400 workers.Labor strife
Around the time of the company's nomenclature alteration (to Northwestern Steel and Wire) the first significant attempts to organize NWSW's labor force were made. In July 1936 a three-week labor strike was led by labor activist John L. Lewis. During the violence that followed at least one worker died.See also
* Amboy Illinois Central Depot * Crab Orchard and Egyptian RailwayReferences
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Northwestern Steel And Wire Sterling, Illinois Steel companies of the United States Defunct manufacturing companies based in Illinois 1936 establishments in Illinois 2001 disestablishments in Illinois