View of Stevens Metal Products on Erie Street

William H. Stevens 1882 - 1972. PO1.1112

“Billy Stevens” was the only son of Harry Stevens born in Niles. He played on the first Niles High School football team in 1898.

He was an officer of the Dollar Savings Bank when it was organized in 1904 and later became President of the ban

For a time he headed Stevens Metal Products Company. As the firm started by his father extended its areas of activity, his assistance was needed and in his last years he supervised the Florida operations. PO1.1112

Stevens Metal Products Company
Niles, Ohio
September 6, 1929

Stevens Metal Products
Niles Daily Times 1984 Special Edition

Outlook For Future Is Bright, E.D. Thompson Reveals

The only industrial plant in Niles to reach its greatest peak in employment during the depression is the Stevens Metal Products company. It has many times reached its peak of 260 employees and has not employed less than 180 at any time during the past four years.

That is the most outstanding record of any local concern. Furthermore, its outlook upon the future is bright as was verified by the Vice President and General Manager E. D. Thompson in his statement. “The outlook for the remainder of 1934 is very good. We are just coming into our busy season.”

Since it first started to operate with twenty employees in February, 1917, at the site which is now the Municipal Water Works at the foot of Butler Street, it has grown with remarkable steadiness until today it is the world’s largest manufacturing plant devoted exclusively to the manufacture of steel containers.

The company was organized in July, 1916, by W. H. Stevens, E. D. Thompson, Elizabeth Fisher and Harry M. Scriven. In 1925 it acquired a plant in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, expanding operations of the local plant and the desire to consolidate the two plants led to the purchase of the large plant on Erie Street where it is now located. When the move was completed and the company was in operation at its new site approximately 100 employees were listed on the company’s payrolls.

In 1930 the company again expanded its operations by the purchase of the Detroit Steel Barrel company, a manufacturer of heavy steel barrels. This plant was also consolidated in the Niles plant in 1932, giving the company a payroll which included over 180 employees.

Items manufactured by the Stevens Metal Products company are steel barrels of all types from 10 to 110 gallons sizes, galvanized and tinned packages and containers made of special alloys.

The officers of the company are W. H. Stevens, president and treasurer; E. D. Thompson, vice-president and general manager; George Purcell, secretary. The directors of the company include the above officers, Frank Stayens and Samuel Brown.

Erie Street view of the Niles Car & Manufacturing Company built in 1901, makers of one of the finest lines of plush electric cars of the area. In 1917 the production was shifted to truck chassis.

During WWI, the company became Engel Aircraft, manufacturing components for airplanes.

It later became Stevens Metal Products and today is the home of the Cleveland Container Corporation. PO1.1532