I love history, particularly the history of wood framing in the U.S. One segment of this category that has some confusion surrounding it is the history of metal connectors used to join two or more wood members to make a structural connection.
There are many types of structural connectors, metal truss plates for instance fall into this category. For this article, however, I’m focusing on the kind commonly referenced in a framer’s hardware package, e.g., truss/joist hangers, clips, ties, straps, and hold-downs among many others.
This category of hardware was first popularized by the Timber Engineering Company, better known as TECO, which began mass producing various structural connectors in 1933. TECO brought us the split-ring connector, which you should recall reading about in Joe Kannapell’s “The Development of the Truss Plate: The Split-Ring Connectors Prequel.” Originally imported from Germany, that innovation was used to join heavy timber commonly used in commercial structures such as the famous “Lighter-than-Airship” Hangars in Tustin, CA. These hangars are still standing today, along with others built following the same blueprint throughout the country. [For all images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
Prior to TECO, there were several other companies located throughout the U.S. producing structural connectors for wood framing. One of the more common types being continually improved upon were joist hangers. One such patent application dates all the way back to April 3, 1920. Within the application, the following statement is made by its author, “To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joist Hangers.” All the way back in 1920, industry innovators were making improvements to structural connectors for wood framing! Some other early patents I have found date as far back as 1901.
It is difficult to say who first developed the idea for using steel (other than nails) to join wood members together. When I asked Google, “who invented structural connectors,” the response it gave me was Simpson Strong-Tie in 1956. Google did not have much information on William Caldwell or some of the other early innovators, unfortunately. So while I can agree that Simpson Strong-Tie has done some great things for our industry, including several important innovations, it seems to me that many of the structural connectors they manufacture are minor variations of earlier innovations brought forth by preceding companies such as TECO (circa 1933) and USP (circa 1954) and others that came years later including Harlen Metals, Hughes Mfg, and Silver Metals. According to Simpson’s website, long before Simpson Connectors existed (later rebranded as Simpson Strong-Tie), there was the Simpson Screen Company that served builders in the Bay Area of California providing metal framed screens. The pivot to connectors came with an event recounted as follows, “On a Sunday evening in the summer of 1956, the doorbell rang. A neighbor’s brother had stopped by to ask if they could make a product to connect the ends of 2x4s for a roof. Barclay replied, ‘Of course!’ So, he sat down with his plant foreman, developed some rough sketches and used a punch press to create his first joist hanger.” This part of their history is further expanded upon in several video interviews hosted on YouTube with its founder and industry icon, Barclay Simpson.
Many of the smaller regional companies that produced structural connectors have since either gone out of business or been acquired by one of the two remaining major forces in this segment, the aforementioned Simpson Strong-Tie and my employer, MiTek. In many ways, MiTek’s history with structural connectors goes back to our beginning in 1955 when an engineer named John “Cal” Jureit invented and patented the Gang-Nail connector, the first metal punch-tooth connector plate for wood trusses that did not require supplemental nail fastening. When it comes to the type of structural connectors central to this article, however, those came into the MiTek family many years later, with the acquisition of USP Structural Connectors in 2011. Prior to that, USP had acquired Silver Metals, which at that time was referred to as Silver-TECO after its acquisition of TECO’s connector business. Additionally, USP had acquired such brands as Hughes Mfg., SEMCO, Renown Specialties, and Covert while maintaining the rights to their own brand, Kant-Sag.
So in fact, TECO is the company widely recognized as the first to mass produce these products across the U.S. The most interesting part of their history begins in 1933, when the National Lumber Manufacturing Association in Washington, D.C. determined that information on the physical characteristics and performance of wood was necessary to promote its use across a broad range of industries in the U.S. To accomplish this goal, it formed the wholly owned subsidiary Timber Engineering Company (TECO). Soon thereafter, they established a laboratory for the physical testing of timber for use in construction and industrial purposes. By the 1940’s, the TECO laboratory in Washington, D.C. was the largest privately owned wood products laboratory in the U.S. In 1958, TECO provided a plywood technician on a full-time basis to conduct quality control activities at the Willamette Industries plywood plant in Lebanon, OR. Thus, TECO’s “Man-in-the-Mill” program was born. As the use of plywood, and therein the production of it, grew across the U.S., so did the utilization of this program to ensure proper manufacturing, storage, and handling of the material.
In 1968, TECO was sold to members of its then management staff, who relocated their headquarters to Maryland. Then, 20 years later, a financial holding company, DESCO, bought TECO. But only four years later, in 1992, DESCO decided to divest of TECO, selling its Certification Division to the PFS Corporation of Madison, WI and the Fastening and Connector Division to Cleveland Steel Specialties of Bedford Heights, OH. Soon thereafter in 1994, Silver Metals, an established name in the connector business based in Livermore, CA, acquired the rights to the U.S. Fastening and Connector Division of TECO and renamed their company Silver-TECO, aimed at equally recognizing the history and reputation of both brands as they partnered toward further success through continued innovation. This was followed by yet another acquisition by USP Structural Connectors when they purchased Silver-TECO in 1995 and successfully grew that product line across the U.S under the leadership of Gibraltar Industries with the additional acquisitions of other successful regional brands such as Hughes, SEMCO, and Covert.
In addition to TECO and Simpson though, we need to say a few more words on USP. Prior to USP being owned by Gibraltar and pursuing acquisitions to grow its market share, it was a small family business much like that of Simpson in its early days. USP grew through a steadfast commitment to hard work and dedication to finding innovative solutions to meet the growing needs of their customers. Del Rogers founded USP (United Steel Products) in 1954 in Montgomery, MN. In fact, the town later renamed the street where USP operated to Rogers Avenue, in honor of his commitment to the local building industry. According to his grandson, John Grosklags, Del Rogers was known to be a fearless entrepreneur who was never short of ideas on how to increase the use of structural connectors for wood framing. For years, many regions would still rely on heavy blocking and toenailing to make structural connections. Much like the changes being promoted today, our industry has always been hesitant to adopt changes without assurance that a benefit will be achieved. One of the methods Del employed with his sales team was using converted RVs that he would have gutted so that fully framed structures could be housed inside and rolled out for display at any stop the salespeople made! Now that was an original way to showcase, in a real-life setting, the application and benefit of these new solutions.
Since MiTek’s acquisition of USP in 2011, we have continued to expand the product with new innovations aimed at helping builders and component manufacturers achieve the full benefits of off-site construction. If you would like to learn more about MiTek’s involvement with the development of structural connector innovations or would like to receive information on how to purchase stocking inventory, you’re invited to reach out to your local MiTek Representative. And, if you’d like to talk more history, be sure to reach out to me too!