Photo: McLouth Crane Cab

At its peak, McLouth Steel in Trenton, Michigan only produced 1-2% of the domestic steel market, but the plant was responsible for a few innovations, which made it more well known. 

In 1962, it was the first plant to use computer controls and it was the first American steel plant to finish a product using continuous casting. 

The plant was purchased in 1996 by the Detroit Steel Company, but after a few unsuccessful startups, the plant became nonoperational. 

(From the archives, 2009.)