BICO Steel’s rich tradition in metalworking in began on Aug. 13, 1896, when The Burger Iron & Wire Works Company formed. The company got its start fabricating a variety of items, including fire escapes, elevator cabs, decorative iron stairways, balconies, tree guards and iron fencing. Another specialization included ornamental steel fabrication.
During the industrial boom of the early 20th century, Burger Iron shifted to meet the growing demand for structural steel, fabricating and erecting steel frames for commercial buildings and bridges. One prominent company project that’s become a recognized part of the Akron skyline was the First National Tower, built in 1931. This was one of many well-known commercial structures Burger Iron played an instrumental role in bringing to life throughout Ohio.
In 1946, Burger Iron expanded its capabilities to include a plate processing department that offered precision grinding and machining. That decision paid dividends, allowing the company to grow and eventually open a dedicated, 90,000-square-foot plant in Mogadore, Ohio, in 1972, with a second steel plate facility to follow in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1987.
Since then, we’ve expanded our Michigan facility with a new, 60,000-square-foot facility, and have opened sales offices throughout the United States and Canada to better meet the demands of a growing customer base.
Our growth hasn’t been limited to expanding our physical space and reach. In 2022, we acquired both RE Metal Finishing, now BICO Metal Finishing, and Integrity Fab & Machine, Inc. Each acquisition not only strengthened our service offerings, particularly in die sets, custom fabrications, machined plates and parallels, but our shared core values allowed for a smooth transition and improved customer service.
Today, The Burger Iron Company is known to its customers by its moniker, BICO Steel. Our name may have changed a bit, but the values we’ve forged over a century-plus of history are only growing stronger. Being the only company to offer both steel plate and forged block processing has made it easier than ever to provide our customers with the highest-quality products and industry-leading service.
We’ve been proud to serve as our clients’ competitive advantage since 1896. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to drive the industry forward.
We're proud to welcome Integrity Fab & Machine, Inc. into the BICO Steel fold. Their expertise in die sets, custom fabrications, machined plates, and parallels allows us to offer a higher level of value-added processing than ever before. Check out their website ifabm.com and feel free to reach out to us through your normal BICO channels for more information!
During the industrial boom of the early 20th century, Burger Iron shifted to meet the growing demand for structural steel, fabricating and erecting steel frames for commercial buildings and bridges. One prominent company project that’s become a recognized part of the Akron skyline was the First National Tower, built in 1931. This was one of many well-known commercial structures Burger Iron played an instrumental role in bringing to life throughout Ohio.
