The Modern Mill

The Modern Mill. The Lukens National Historic District. In 1927 a new 84" mill was installed, replacing the old 84" mill of the 1870s. It could produce plates as thin as 1/8" and up to 72" wide. Also in 1927, Lukens formed the By-Products Steel Company, a subsidiary established to provide partial fabrication before shipment, using the techniques of shearing, flame cutting, bending and pressing. A second subsidiary, Lukenweld, was established in 1930. It was the first commercial weldery set up in America to specialize in the design and fabrication of steel plate structures by welding. In 1930, Lukens introduced clad plate, involving bonding two or more different types of metal. World War II brought expansion as Lukens, in partnership with the United States Navy, constructed the 120" mill. During the war, the 206" continued to turn out heavy armor plate for the military's needs. Lukens employees, called "Lukenites", topped 6,000 in 1943 and reached a record 6,166 in 1944. Women were brought in to work in the steel manufacturing divisions on October 1, 1942. 2,000 employees served in World War II, and 57 gave their lives. On March 27, 1942, Lukens was honored by the United States Navy with the Navy "E" Award for outstanding production achievement. In 1953, the United States Navy announced plans for building a new armor plate plant at Lukens. In 1957 ground was broken for a new steel making facility centering on a 100-ton electric furnace which would later be known as A Furnace. In 1958, a new 140" slabbing and roughing mill, known as the S&R Mill, was brought on line with its 9 soaking pits. A second 100-ton electric furnace, known as B Furnace, was built in 1962, followed in 1964 by a third furnace, C Furnace, with a 150-ton capacity. Lukens developed a computerized operator guide control system, the first to be applied to electric furnaces of this size. In 1970 the company completed construction of a strand casting facility which shortens the production of slabs by eliminating the pouring of molten steel in the molds to form ingots and then rolling the ingots into slabs. With the casting process, molten steel is run directly from the ladle into the casting machine, solidifying as it descends. In 1972 construction began on a fourth furnace, D Furnace, with a 150-ton capacity, upgraded to a capacity of 165 tons in 1984. The Open Hearth furnaces were finally phased out of operation by 1975. In 1975 Lukens became the first steel company in the United States to receive national nuclear certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In 1978 Lukens purchased the 110" Rolling Mill formerly owned by the Alan Wood Steel Company in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.