Idaho Steel celebrates 100 years in business
If you’ve had tater tots or hash brown patties, chances are Idaho Steel played a part in making them. This week the Idaho Falls-based company is celebrating its centennial anniversary.
“I mean that doesn’t happen very often,” said Davis Christensen, co-owner of Idaho Steel. “I don’t think there is a lot of companies in the town of Idaho Falls that can say they’ve been in the same location, basically same town, for 100 years, but we’re one of them.”
Around since 1918, the family-owned business is a steel fabrication company that builds equipment for food processing factories. This wasn’t always the case.
In the early years of Idaho Steel, it a was a blacksmith and smaller fabrication shop.
“As potato processing equipment was needed, Idaho Steel grew up with that industry so that’s really driven the expansion of it more than anything else,” said DeLynn Bradshaw, co-owner of Idaho Steel.
Now, you can find the company’s equipment on almost every continent in the world.
“Except Antarctica,” Christensen said. “That’s just because there aren’t potatoes there.”
In 1991, the company was bought by Lynn Bradshaw, who helped grow the business from 38 employees to more than 200.
Bradshaw eventually passed on the company to his two sons, DeLynn and Alan, and his son-in-law, Christensen.
To them, continuing to be a family business, makes it so much more special.
“When I first started here, I spent a lot of time working with my dad and those times were times I’ll always remember,” said Alan Bradshaw, co-owner of Idaho Steel. “I learned so much from him.”
The celebration this weekend isn’t just for owners and family. It’s for those who helped make the company possible.
“A lot of our vendors, our customers, and all of our employees I mean I need to really stress how important this is to the people that work here,” Christensen said. “It’s not about the ownership. It’s not really about us. This is about the employees and the company itself.”
What’s next after you hit a century in the business?
“Sleep for a few days, or at least for a few hours, and keep moving this company ahead,” said Christensen.
On Friday the company will be putting on a street fair for employees, customers and vendors. It will include tours of the shop and presentations.
At night, there will also be a barbecue, and a concert and a movie about the company will be shown.
