Our History

1920's

Frederick Christian Ulbrich Sr. sees the potential of stainless steel after a year of working as a scrap inspector at the U.S. Steel works in Donora, Pa. He returns to his hometown of Wallingford, Conn., and starts a scrap yard and used auto parts business in the Western outskirts of the Town of Wallingford.

1930's

After the merger of Allegheny Steel with Ludlum Corp., Fred Sr.'s main scrap accounts dry up. He reacts by starting a cutlery manufacturing operation in the back corner of his shop.

1940's

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Fred Sr. is awarded one of the contracts to produce army mess-kit knives. He makes significant capital investment in a primitive rolling mill, slitter and roller/leveler, which allows him to produce his knives quickly.

1950's

After realizing he can't compete with the bigger companies' technology, Fred Sr. sells his cutlery operation and invests more than a million dollars in the purchase of one of the first Sendzimir rolling mills from the Waterbury Farrell Corporation. Fred Sr., who also buys modern annealing and slitting equipment, bets the success of his small company on the future of stainless and his ability to reroll it.

Ulbrich hires its first full-time employees who are not members of the family. After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, Fred Ulbrich, Jr. joins the firm on a full-time basis.

1960's

Ulbrich decides to hire an outside sales force and control its sales directly rather than rely on steel service centers for orders...

Ulbrich is selected as a supplier to the Air Force's B70 Bomber project, which requires it to roll metal to extremely thin gauges down to .001 of an inch.

Ulbrich invests the equivalent of one year's profit in a state-of-the-art testing and quality-control lab in order to gain supplier certifications from aircraft companies such as Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, North American Aviation and Rohr.

Ulbrich establishes a sales office in Alsip, Ill., outside of Chicago, to service their growing Midwestern clientele.

USSM introduces Nickel based alloys to its product mix as Ulbrich gets more involved in the aircraft and aerospace industry.

1970's

Fred Ulbrich Sr., transfers the ownership of the company to his three sons. The focus was put on modernizing the production facilities and increasing capacity. The company now becomes know as Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc. Fred Ulbrich, Sr. passes away in 1975.

1980's

Fred Ulbrich Jr., President, reorganizes the company in preparation for the transformation into a truly national and international company. The decision is made to reinvest all corporate profits into capital expansion programs.

A 100,000 square-foot building is erected adjacent to the main plant in Wallingford, CT, to house a regional service center named Ulbrich of New England.

Ulbrich of Georgia, servicing the South and Mid-Atlantic states, slits its first coil.

Ulbrich of California, servicing the West and Southwest, slits its first coil.

After a series of high-level strategic meetings, the first shots of the "Ulbrich Revolution" are fired. Already known for its excellent quality, Ulbrich sets the bar higher. The company embarks on an employee wide effort that emphasizes quality and customer commitment.

Sales for the company reach $100 million in 1989.

1990's

Ownership and top management embark on an initiative to increase Ulbrich's worldwide sales. Partnerships in France, Japan and China are brokered, and the groundwork is laid for an overseas facility.

Ulbrich purchases Aerodyne Alloys of Hartford, CT, to broaden the company's product line into Stainless and Nickel alloy bar, sheet and plate, later to be named Aerodyne Ulbrich Alloys.

The first international based service center, Ulbrich of the UK is established in Sheffield, England.

Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill, Ulbrich's flagship precision custom strip rerolling facility, gains ISO 9002 certification. Other divisions soon follow.

Ulbrich's outside sales force is ushered into the digital information age with the arrival of their new state-of-the-art laptop computers.

Ulbrich installs a new Ungerer stretch-bend leveler which allows straightening and flattening of any waves in a coil of metal.

Titanium becomes a very important part of the Ulbrich product offering.

Ulbrich acquires Diversified Stainless of Canada, with service centers near Toronto (Downsview) and Montreal (Pointe Claire), to augment its Canadian business.

A new stainless steel service center, Ulbrinox, is built in Queretaro, which is two hours North of Mexico City. Ulbrinox is equipped to supply stainless steel and other alloys in strip and flat wire to the Central and South American markets, as well as the Mexican market.

The third generation of the Family, Chris Ulbrich, son of Fred Ulbrich Jr., takes the helm as President.

Sales reach $250 million

In 1999 Ulbrich marks its 75th anniversary with over 600 employees and 14 facilities in four countries. The company processes over 140 different alloys from various melting sources located all around the world.

2000's

Ulbrich acquirers the flat wire division of Steel Heddle which is renamed Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire (UPFW), located in South Carolina.

UPFW increases its capabilities to produce fine wire for the medical industry as well as increases capacity to supply PV-Ribbon to the solar industry. Ulbrich chooses to cease its involvement in Nickel alloy bar and plate, and sells its Aerodyne Ulbrich Alloys Division.

Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Ltd, Shanghai Representative Office, opens in Shanghai China

Ulbrich Precision Metals, Ltd., located in Ireland, is formed and equipped to enhance our capabilities in supplying fine wire to the medical industry in Ireland and the EU. Ulbrich of the U.K. is closed by Ulbrich.

Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill adds 12,000 square foot expansion in Wallingford, CT, to house new Ultralite Foil operation including a rolling mill, annealing line and slitter capable of processing stainless and special metals strip coil to gauges less than .0005 inches.

Delta Precision Alloys, located in Pennsylvania, is acquired and becomes Delta Ulbrich Precision Metals. Delta's capabilities in ultra fine wire and plating enhance the product offerings for the Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group.

Ulbrich of Illinois gets a new slitter capable of slitting 54 inch wide coils in gauges from .050 to .005.

Ulbrich of New England gets several slitter upgrades and installs a new inline slitter oscillate winder capable of more than 10 oscillate coils wound at the same time.

Ulbrich Asia Metals, a service center/trading company, opens in Hong Kong to supply the ever growing demand for our strip products in Asia.

The Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group adds another company and facility for the precision flat wire product, Ulbrich of Austria. Located near Vienna, this facility increases its ability to manufacture and supply product to Europe.

The Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group adds still another company and facility to produce flat wire for the Asian market. This new division is also in Hong Kong and is named Ulbrich Precision Metals Asia Limited and will be shipping product on the 3rd Quarter of 2008.

Ulbrich is now a global manufacturer of flat and shaped wire, with five of its facilities located in the major markets for this industry throughout the world.

Ulbrich has 15 companies located in six countries with nearly 700 employees.