Continental Steel Corporation During World War Two
Kokomo, IN
1901-1986
1901-1927 as Kokomo Steel and Wire Company
1927-1986 as Continental Steel Corporation

This page added 3-2-2023.

The Continental Steel Corporation was created on June 21, 1927, through the merger of the Kokomo Steel and Wire Company (founded in Kokomo, Indiana in 1901) with the Superior Sheet Steel Company of Canton, Ohio, and the Chapman Price Steel Company of Indianapolis. John E. Fredrick, who had been an organizer of the Kokomo Fence Machine Company in 1896 and had served on the board of directors of the Kokomo Steel and Wire Company,  served as first Chairman of the Board of Continental Steel, whose headquarters were established in Kokomo. The Kokomo operations of this corporation, however, continued to employ the Kokomo Steel and Wire name until 1944.

During the Second World War Continental produced large tonnages of barbed wire, nails, and sheet steel for military use.  It also provided material for products manufactured by defense industries. These included aerial bombs and fuel containers.

Not only did it make different materials, but it would take scrap metal and reprocess it for new items. One example of this is taking old World War One era tanks and reclaiming the steel for use in new products during World War Two.

In 1946 and 1947, Continental Steel sold off its Canton, Ohio and Indianapolis sheet mill facilities, having decided to focus on the manufacture of finished products at Kokomo. In 1968, the Penn-Dixie Company took over the company.  Then after many challenges and setbacks for Continental Steel and for the American steel industry as a whole, the company was dissolved in 1986, due to bankruptcy.

 Continental Steel Corporation World War Two Products:  Kokomo, IN mill of the Continental Steel Corporation had $6,670,000 in major contracts during World War Two.  Products included in the contracts were steel, steel sheets, wire, barbed wire, steel billets, galvanized steel, galvanized roof steel, galvanized wire, nails, and fencing wire.

This is one of 950 M1917 light tanks that was built after the end of World War One.  The M1917 was based on the French Renault FT tank.  After World War One the U.S. Army also acquired 200 of the French FT tanks.  As noted above in the introduction, Continental Steel recycled World War One era tanks during World War Two.  These were the M1917 and FT tanks.  Due to the recycling of these tanks, there are only twenty M1917s and six FT tanks left in the United States.  Author's photo.

This magnificent former residence is known as the Seiberling Mansion in Kokomo, IN.  Located on West Sycamore Street in Kokomo, this building now serves as the location for the Howard County Historical Society's Museum.  This museum is what I call a "golden nugget" museum.  I was unaware of this museum until I visited it on a bright, sunny, Sunday afternoon in February.  I had just learned of this museum while I was researching the Kingston Products Company.  I was pleasantly surprised to find not only World War Two information on Kingston, but several other companies I was unaware of that contributed to the winning of World War Two.  Author's photo.

The Howard County Historical Society also has archives in an office building adjacent to the museum.  I visited this several days later, and Mr. Randy Smith spent several hours with me providing World War Two information on four different Kokomo companies.  It is from this information that I am able to publish this page on the Continental Steel Company.

I highly recommend the Howard County Historical Society Museum shown above, and the nearby Elwood Haynes Museum on South Webster Street in Kokomo.  Both have excellent historical information on Kokomo, and they complement each other with different displays and information.

A Wartime Report to the Men and Women of Continental Steel Corporation

The Wartime Report was published by Continental Steel in Kokomo, IN in May 1944.  Primary source documents like the Wartime Report are some of the best sources of information for what companies produced during World War Two.  They are also very rare.  I want to thank Mr. Randy Smith of the Howard County Historical Society for allowing me to copy this document in order to tell the story of how Continental Steel Company helped win World War Two.

For the most part, the Wartime Report is self explanatory.  However, in several cases I have added some information for further explanation.

I recognized the Delco-Remy data plate on the side of the starter motor, as this was where I worked.  The steel that Continental supplied for the armature laminations was what is known as electrical steel.  It has silicon added to it that increases the steel's magnetic properties.  Delco-Remy was located in Anderson, IN, 50 miles southeast of Kokomo.  

This is what was known during World War Two as a Lifekraft, produced by the Globe American Corporation of Kokomo.  These were all metal craft that were purchased by the U.S. Maritime Commission for use on American Liberty and Victory cargo ships. 

The life-boats shown on this page were all steel lifeboats also produced by Globe American Corporation in Kokomo for the U.S. Maritime Commission. 

The Delco Radio Division of General Motors was located in Kokomo and was one of many companies in the area that helped win World War Two. 

The location of the former Continental Steel Corporation in Kokomo, IN:

This 1916 Sanborn Map shows the extent of the facility when it was still the Kokomo Steel and Wire Company.  This layout compares favorability with the photo above.

The facility was razed and replaced with a solar farm.  Image courtesy of Google Maps.