Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in two locations: Wilmington, California and
Orange, TexasOrange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. It was created in 1929 by the merger of Llewellyn Iron Works, Baker Iron Works and Union Iron Works, all of
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
.
Orange shipyard
The Orange, Texas shipyard was expanded in 1940 when Consolidated Steel was awarded a Maritime Commission contract from the U.S. Navy. At its peak it employed 20,000 people. The first ship launched was the on March 2, 1942. The last ship launched was the on December 28, 1945.
Wilmington shipyard
The Wilmington, California shipyard was built in 1941 after Consolidated Steel was awarded a Maritime Commission contract from the U.S. Navy. At its peak, it employed 12,000 people. After the war, the facility was shut down. The former shipyard location is now the automobile terminal at berths 196 and 197 of the Port of Los Angeles.
After the war
Shortly after the end of the war, in 1945, Consolidated Steel bought the assets of the
Western Pipe and Steel CompanyThe Western Pipe and Steel Company was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S...
of California, another wartime shipbuilding firm, for a sum in excess of $6.2 million. The WPS assets along with some other assets of Consolidated were sold in 1948 for over $17 million to the Columbia Steel Company, a division of US Steel, which formed a new division known as the Consolidated Western Steel Corporation to manage them. The former President and Chairman of Consolidated Steel's board, Alden G. Roach, became President of Consolidated Western. Consolidated Western was later merged directly into the parent company, US Steel.
After the sale to Columbia, the remaining assets of Consolidated Steel were folded into a new company known as Consolidated Liquidating Corporation, which was dissolved on February 29, 1952.