McKees Rocks Forgings, a division of Standard Forged Products, stands as a testament to resilience and reinvention. Located in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, this plant produces forged axles and circular forgings that are shipped across the globe. Though the name “McKees Rocks Forgings” came into use in the 1980s, the roots of this operation go back well over a century.
Our story begins in 1901, when part of today’s plant was known as the Shoen Brake Shoe Company. Here, brake shoes and railcar parts were manufactured for the neighboring McKees Rocks Industrial Enterprise, where the first all-steel railroad cars were built. The site evolved into the Pressed Car Steel Works, which was later absorbed into what we now know as the McKees Rocks facility.
Just one year later, in 1902, history was made when the first forged steel railcar wheel was produced here. Hendrik Loss received a patent for the specialized machine that rolled wheels from circular ingots—an innovation that marked a major milestone in rail technology. By 1908, over 200,000 forged and rolled steel wheels were in service, and Carnegie Steel Company acquired the Pressed Car Steel Works.
In 1940, Carnegie Steel relocated its Howard Axle Works to McKees Rocks to free up space at the Homestead Steel Plant, which was expanding to produce steel armor plating for WWII. This move further positioned McKees Rocks as a vital contributor to American industrial progress. The mid-century brought transformative upgrades. In 1966, U.S. Steel installed the first GFM (Grob Fertigung Maschinen) at the plant to manufacture railcar axles. This breakthrough technology soon became an industry standard. A continuous heat treat line followed, and the wheel manufacturing line was also upgraded. By 1970, the McKees Rocks plant had become the most modern axle and wheel manufacturing facility in the world.
However, the plant wasn’t immune to changing market forces. In 1979, U.S. Steel shut down the wheel line, as cast wheels gained favor as a more economical alternative. Still, axle and circular forging operations remained active and profitable for a time.
In 1982, the industry was rocked by a dramatic drop in railcar production—from 90,000 to just 5,000 units—due to the closure of a tax loophole that had incentivized private railcar ownership. By 1985, U.S. Steel closed the McKees Rocks facility entirely.
In 1986, former plant managers and a Chicago investor stepped in, leasing the axle facility and relaunching operations under the name Standard Forged Products. Production resumed with just 14 employees, focusing on crane wheels. This rebirth marked the beginning of McKees Rocks Forgings as we know it today.
By 1989, after returning to profitability, the plant was purchased by Trinity Industries, which invested heavily in equipment upgrades and brought wages and benefits up to industry standards. In 1990, a second GFM was installed. By 1993, the plant was producing both carbon and alloy steel forgings. At its peak, McKees Rocks Forgings produced more than 100,000 axles annually and employed over 210 people.
In 2017, Trinity spun off several of its component manufacturing units, forming a new company to focus on railcar production and leasing. The axle and wheel divisions, including McKees Rocks Forgings, operated under this new structure until 2024. That year marked a new era: Stellex Capital acquired the forging operations and launched FerroWorks, bringing together McKees Rocks Forgings, McConway & Torley, and Standard Forged Products under one banner. The new ownership brings a renewed commitment to investment, modernization, and long-term growth.
Today, McKees Rocks Forgings stands as a global supplier of forged axles, crane wheels, gear blanks, and other circular forgings. The company continues to invest in new equipment and quality systems, remaining ISO 9001 certified and committed to excellence.
McKees Rocks Forgings was recently featured in Foundry Magazine, where the Stellex acquisition was covered as a strategic move to fuel future growth across all FerroWorks divisions.
From its early days producing brake shoes and railcar wheels to its current role in global infrastructure manufacturing, McKees Rocks Forgings is a story of innovation, reinvention, and enduring strength. Now proudly part of FerroWorks, this legacy continues to forge ahead.
