Senate Resolution No. 2333

BY: Senator GRIFFO

COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of Rome Strip
Steel Company

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those businesses and institutions whose longevity,
innovation, and commitment to excellence have enriched the economic
vitality and industrial heritage of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its
longstanding traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Rome Strip Steel Company,
celebrating a century of service, innovation, and manufacturing
leadership since its founding in 1926; and

WHEREAS, Rome Strip Steel Company was established in 1926 through
the vision and determination of Hazen B. Hinman, Sr., together with
Abraham Buol and Logan E. Page, with the support of the Rome Chamber of
Commerce and the citizens of Rome, New York, who recognized the
importance of industrial growth and economic opportunity for their
community; and

WHEREAS, In July of 1926, the company began its journey with the
acquisition of the former Halstead Wire Company property on Henry Street
in Rome, where machinery was installed and preparations commenced for
the production of strip steel, laying the foundation for a manufacturing
enterprise that would endure for a century; and

WHEREAS, From its modest beginnings as a producer of low-carbon cold
rolled strip steel serving the metal stamping industry of Upstate New
York, Rome Strip Steel Company steadily expanded its capabilities,
products, and markets through a commitment to quality, innovation, and
customer service; and

WHEREAS, Through the leadership of the Hinman family, including
Hazen B. Hinman, Jr. and A. Buol Hinman, who joined the company during
the 1940s, Rome Strip Steel Company developed a reputation for
responsiveness to customer needs, versatility in manufacturing, and
excellence in specialized steel production; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of its history, the company increased its
production capacity tenfold, expanded its product offerings to include
alloy, high-carbon, low-carbon, and high-strength low-alloy steels, and
earned recognition as one of the world's finest producers of
close-tolerance cold rolled strip steel; and

WHEREAS, Rome Strip Steel Company continually invested in advanced
manufacturing technologies, laboratory facilities, quality-control
systems, and research initiatives, enabling the company to remain at the
forefront of precision steel production and to adapt successfully to
changing domestic and global markets; and

WHEREAS, Through substantial reinvestment in plant facilities and
equipment during the latter decades of the twentieth century and beyond,

the company established and maintained some of the most modern cold
rolled strip steel mills in the world and became a recognized leader
within the specialty steel industry; and

WHEREAS, For much of its history, Rome Strip Steel Company's
products supported New York State manufacturers and contributed
significantly to the industrial strength of communities throughout the
State, supplying materials used in office equipment, cash registers,
business machines, saw blades, hand tools, measuring devices, musical
instruments, and countless other products essential to everyday life and
commerce; and

WHEREAS, As the company's reach expanded, Rome Strip Steel products
were distributed throughout North America and exported to customers
across the nation, supporting industries ranging from precision metal
stamping and automotive manufacturing to electronics, consumer products,
and industrial applications; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its 100-year history, Rome Strip Steel Company
has remained steadfast in its commitment to producing the highest
quality products while fostering lasting relationships with customers,
suppliers, employees, and the communities it serves; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, the company entered a new chapter when it was
acquired by Worthington Steel, whose continued investment in facilities,
equipment, and operational excellence has strengthened Rome Strip Steel
Company's legacy and ensured its continued role as a premier source of
high-quality cold rolled strip steel; and

WHEREAS, The success and longevity of Rome Strip Steel Company stand
as a testament to the dedication, skill, and hard work of generations of
employees, managers, executives, and their families, whose collective
efforts have sustained the company through periods of economic
challenge, technological transformation, and industrial evolution; and

WHEREAS, For 100 years, Rome Strip Steel Company has exemplified the
entrepreneurial spirit, manufacturing ingenuity, and commitment to
excellence that have distinguished New York State as a center of
industrial achievement and economic progress; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Rome Strip Steel Company and to
recognize its century of extraordinary contributions to manufacturing,
economic development, technological innovation, and community prosperity
in the City of Rome, Oneida County, and throughout the State of New
York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Rome Strip Steel Company.