Harsco Corporation traces its industrial heritage to 1853, when the Harrisburg Car Manufacturing Company began building freight and passenger cars for the growing U.S. railway system. That company evolved into the Harrisburg Pipe & Pipe Bending Company, an early pioneer in crafting formed and coiled metal piping, whose techniques would help launch the commercial refrigeration industry.
With the dawn of the 20th century, the company turned its interests to a range of open hearth alloy and carbon steel products, and in 1935 became the Harrisburg Steel Corporation. The new name marked its rise as one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of quality steel products for industry.
Entering the 1950s, the company embarked on a strategy of multi-industry growth and diversification and in 1956 formed Harsco Corporation, a publically traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Much like their 19th century forerunners, many of the businesses that have subsequently become part of Harsco are themselves pioneers in their industries. The modern scaffolding industry virtually owes its existence to the innovation and achievement of Harsco’s Infrastructure group of companies. These companies were responsible for the development and introduction of tubular steel scaffolding, a major step forward in an industry which before then had been based largely upon timber. Harsco’s Minerals businesses are pioneering innovators for the responsible processing of industrial co-products for beneficial re-use. Harsco’s Metals business stands at the forefront of the global steel and metals industry, providing innovative technologies and services for the processing of materials, and providing critical environmental solutions for modern metal-making operations. Other Harsco pioneers are the Harsco Industrial business group, which includes Air-X-Changers, one of the oldest and largest companies in the natural gas processing industries; IKG industries, known as the father of the world grating industry; and Patterson-Kelley, with over 125 years at the forefront of its selected markets.
Harsco is recognized as one of the Fortune 1000 leading companies in America and has been named five times to the Platinum 400 list of best big companies by Forbes magazine.