OUR HISTORY

In that same year, Robert’s wife, Anna Siskin, gave birth to their son Mose Siskin. Three years later, Garrison was born. The photograph shown was taken around 1909 when Garrison (left) was 6 years old and Mose (right) was 9 years old. The two boys sold newspapers on the streets of Chattanooga and delivered milk from their family cow while their father built the scrap metal business. In 1910, R. H. Siskin bought out his partner and changed the name of the business to R. H. Siskin and Sons. The company had no equipment or machinery until 1924. At that time, the company bought its first truck. This truck is still owned by the Siskin family and has been carefully restored. During this period the office consisted of a 12′ x 20′ building with a dirt floor, and the company employed twenty people.

On December 24, 1926, Mr. Siskin passed away and left his sons to run the business. From that point, the company began rapid growth. During the mid-to-late thirties, an old streetcar was used as an office while a new office was being constructed. Later, a newer, larger office was built. This building is still in use today housing the Maintenance and Parts Departments for the Chattanooga Division.

During World War II and in subsequent years, the scrap metal business grew rapidly. In 1949, the brothers began distributing new steel and related products. That division of the company was called the Chattanooga Steel and Supply Company. Soon, the two businesses were merged under the present-day name of Siskin Steel and Supply.

The 1960s brought about continued growth. The first satellite sales office was opened in Atlanta, Georgia in 1963. During the early ’60s, the scrap division was forced to move due to the construction of a new interstate highway. The company managed to expand into an area of about forty acres and employed 100 people.

The 1970s brought about the modernization and expansion of the Chattanooga warehouses, increasing space to over 400,000 square feet. In 1978, the current office building was constructed.

The 1980s brought about more major expansion for Siskin. In 1985, Steel Supply Company in Birmingham, Alabama was purchased and became Siskin’s first official branch location with a name change to Siskin Steel. In 1989, the Nashville, Tennessee plant was built and put into operation.

In 1990, the Scrap Division, which started it all, was sold to Commercial Metals so that full attention and assets could be directed toward the distribution of new steel. Many new sizes and grades were added to the inventory.

Southern Steel Company of Greenville, South Carolina, was purchased in 1991 and continued operations under the Siskin Steel name until December of 1995 when a new service center was built and put into operation in Spartanburg, South Carolina, replacing the Greenville branch.

In 1996, Los Angeles-based Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., the largest steel service center operator in the United States, purchased Siskin Steel and Supply.

The year 2000 saw Siskin Steel reach a milestone of great significance when it celebrated its 100^th year of service, having grown from a company serving only Chattanooga to a company that serves most of the southeastern United States.

Siskin Steel also completed the purchase of East Tennessee Steel Supply Co., in Morristown, Tennessee, in 2000.

Siskin Steel expanded its operation into yet another southeastern state in 2008 when it opened its newest division in Louisville, Kentucky.

During its 100+ years, Siskin Steel has grown from a company of two employees to a company that now employs hundreds of employees in five states. As Siskin has grown, so has its product line — which now includes not only standard warehouse items but many specialty and hard-to-find items as well.