Teel Plastics history

In 1953, the company abandoned its historic headquarters in Burlington, New Jersey, and moved its offices to the heart of the iron industry, Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1958, the company changed its name to Teel Plastics, Inc. to reflect its new focus on the manufacture of plastic products.

Company was established in 1960, manufacturing Carbon Steel Pipe and Conduit Pipe.

In 1961, it increased its holdings in Alabama by acquiring the T.C. King Pipe and Fittings Company, of Anniston, Alabama.

In 1962, Frank Gorham acquired Barry Pipe and Equipment and changed the name to Cal-Sierra Pipe.

The Company moved to its’ current location at Highway 99 and Mariposa Road in Stockton in 1964 to better serve our customers and facilitate the expansion of the Company’s services and its inventory of products.

In 1966, United States Pipe made another significant acquisition, this time on the East Coast, when it bought an East Orange, New Jersey, manufacturer of valves, hydrants, and related parts called the A.P. Smith Manufacturing Company.

First Korean Company to export Carbon Steel Pipe into the US Market in 1967.

In 1969 SeAH became public by being listed in Korean Stock exchange.

The city of Atlanta complained that United States Pipe and another Alabama pipe company had conspired to fix prices on municipal contracts dating back to 1972.

Walter Corp. also moved into the aluminum industry in 1980.

In 1982, Larry Gorham purchased the business from his father.

Jim Walter Corp. fit the pattern, and in 1987 it was taken private by one of the best-known takeover groups, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). The deal, valued at $2.4 billion, was a small one for KKR. The year before, it had raised $8.7 billion to buy out Beatrice Foods.

In 1988, it made the record-breaking $25 billion buyout of RJR Nabisco, a deal so momentous it inspired not only a book but a movie, Barbarians at the Gate.

Company documents claim Jim Walter Corp. was still a profitable company, but in 1989 it filed for bankruptcy, brought down by a huge class action lawsuit relating to the company's former Celotex subsidiary.

Parent company Jim Walter Corp. changed its name to Walter Industries, Inc. in 1991.

In 1992, the company embarked on developing and manufacturing fiberglass thermoset profiles to meet the needs of the utility, lawn and garden, and fenestration industry through creation of its Pultrusion Division.

In 1997, Walter Industries became a public company again, traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1999, Jay Smith and his two children, Jason Smith and Brynna London, acquired Teel Plastics.

In 2000, United States Pipe spent some $20 million to upgrade its Chattanooga plant.

Sales at the company's United States Castings division, which ran out of the company's Anniston plant, were so poor that United States Pipe was forced to close the plant completely in 2003.

In 2006, Teel launched an initiative to transform the culture and expand lean enterprise thinking.

In 2007, Teel held an opening ceremony for its newly completed 150,000 sq. ft. headquarters and state of the art manufacturing location in Baraboo.

Larry was replaced as president by Steve Dunn who joined the company in 2011.

In 2012, Teel sold its Pultrusion Division to Razor Composites, LLC. Razor Composites is owned by James Hardie Industries, a $1.25 billion dollar international fiber cement building products company.

In 2013, Teel Analytical Laboratories, a division of Teel, received accreditation to the ISO 17025 standard for analytical laboratories and began offering its services to customers.

In 2017, Teel added injection molding services with the purchase of multiple Arburg injection molding machines, complementing its extrusion operation and adding new products.