Wheatland
Tube Company has been a part of the American
industrial landscape for more than a century, providing
quality pipe and tube products since 1877. As one
of the oldest and largest manufacturers of continuous
weld and electric weld tube products, Wheatland
continues to set the standard for the pipe and tube
industry.
1877 - Wheatland Tube Company roots
date back to 1877 when John Maneely, an enterprising
Irish immigrant, launched a pipe distribution business
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania selling pipe, valves
and fittings. Today, John Maneely Company (JMC)
serves as the parent company for both Wheatland
Tube Company and Seminole Tubular Products.
1920’s
– John Maneely Company grows to become one of
the largest independent distributors of steel and iron
pipe on the East Coast. Edward Maneely, John’s
youngest son, selects the town of Wheatland, Pennsylvania,
approximately 60 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, as the
site of the company’s first plant. The site is
ideally situated for manufacturing pipe. A side rail
extends from the building to the main line. The town
has a ready and willing workforce, the area has an abundance
of raw materials, and geographically, the location is
close to major industrial markets.
1930's – Wheatland Tube Company
makes its first piece of pipe in 1931. Wheatland Tube
Company is organized as a subsidiary of JMC for the
purpose of manufacturing steel pipe.
1940's
- In 1944, Wheatland Tube Company begins production
of couplings, an important line extension developed
specifically for customer convenience.
1960's –The 1960’s ushers in a
decade of improvements and expansion for the company,
with upgrades in manufacturing methods leading to additions
to the product line.
In 1963, Wheatland Tube eliminates the "tong and
bell" method of manufacturing pipe, used since
1930, and installs a new Aetna Standard Mill. Wheatland's
new Aetna Continuous Weld Mill expands the company’s
capacity to produce new product. Rigid conduit is introduced,
adding to the “bread and butter" standard
pipe.
By the late 60’s, the success of Wheatland’s
conduit sales prompts management to consider a companion
product to rigid conduit, a thinner wall tubular product
known as Electrical Metallic Tubing, or EMT. In 1969,
JMC acquires the assets of International Conduit Company
(ICC) a Chicago, Illinois based independent manufacturer
of EMT. These assets include an electric resistance
weld (ERW) tube mill and EMT finishing line on Chicago’s
South Western Boulevard.
1970's – Within a year of purchase Wheatland
Tube Company Chicago Division establishes itself as
a producer of high quality EMT. In 1975, Wheatland extends
the product line to include the manufacture of couplings
and fittings. Seminole Tubular Products, a sister company
of Wheatland, satisfies the market need for nipples,
elbows and other threaded fittings.
1977 - John Maneely Company celebrates its
centennial anniversary.
1980's – In 1980, the John Maneely Company
moves its headquarters from downtown Philadelphia to
Collingswood, New Jersey, a quiet town within 5 minutes
of its former offices. The company remains officially
chartered in Pennsylvania. 1987 marks the beginning
of intermediate metal conduit (IMC) production in the
Wheatland Tube Chicago facility.
1990's - Wheatland Tube Company expands its
electrical and mechanical production capabilities and
enters the residential fence tubing market with the
purchase of Omega Tube and Conduit in Little Rock, Arkansas,
in 1992. The Omega Division is renamed Wheatland Tube,
Little Rock Division. In 1996, Wheatland Tube Company
is the first galvanized pipe manufacturer to be certified
by NSF International for its hot dip galvanized pipe.
This same year the Wheatland, Pennsylvania facility
receives ISO 9002 certification. 1997 sees more expansion
for the Chicago division with the completion of the
Mechanical Tube Division of Wheatland.
2000’s – John Maneely Company acquires
the assets of Sawhill Tubular from AK Steel in 2002.
This is the largest expansion move in the company’s
history. The acquisition includes additional production
facilities in Wheatland, PA, in nearby Sharon, PA and
25 miles west in Warren, Ohio. Wheatland Tube Company
increases capabilities and annual production to 800,000
tons. Also in 2002, Wheatland Tube Chicago Division
completes a major expansion project, installing a fourth
tube mill to produce up to 5” OD tube as well
as adding a 165,000 square foot warehouse complex. In
total, the Chicago Division has over 625,000 square
feet of manufacturing space under roof.
2002 – John Maneely Company has enjoyed
125 years of success.
2003 – Peter S. Dooner, a fourth generation family member, is appointed president and CEO of John Maneely Company.
2006 – The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm in Washington DC, purchases John Maneely Company in March of 2006. Employees of John Maneely Company anticipate continued growth and success, under the guidance of the new owners.
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