Located to the west of the Allegheny Mountains, and at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, Pittsburgh has played a great role in building America’s cities, railroads and bridges, throughout the nation’s history.

Reaching as far as the Civil War, Pittsburgh became the country’s economic base for boat building and metal industries.  By 1911, Pittsburgh was producing between a third and a half of the nation’s various types of steel.  By then, the city was already known as “The Steel City.”

The industry was growing immensely.  Pittsburgh became one of world’s most advanced cities with their numerous steel plants, construction and bridge plants, and rail mills.  The city never slept and the production took place 24 hours a day, year round.  As a result, some of the greatest American landmarks have been built; from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State Building, Pittsburgh’s steel has made its way to all corners of our growing nation.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the heavy reliance on the metal industries led to the decrease of demand and increase of foreign competition.  The steel industry in the Pittsburgh region imploded, leading to a closure of almost all the major mills and plants, and a drastic elimination of over 100,000 steel and steel-related jobs.

The lasting gallant and hardworking image of Pittsburgh’s steel era is now the city’s foundation of a new period.  In the past 20 years, the economy has transitioned into services and high-tech commerce rather than manufacturing industries.

Ph: 866.77.UNION (8.6466)