Moving Metal

suppliers and buyers, but also steady profits. Neilan had not thought to apply for a priority allocation since Reliance was tiny in comparison to the “Big Steel” giants back east, but aware of Reliance’s position as a key distributor, the War Pro- duction Board gave him a priority allocation anyway, enabling the company to thrive during the war years. Therewas nomagic formula to it—just about any company doing defense-related work was prospering, especially those in the shipbuilding, aircraft, oil, and metals industries. During the war, the federal government spent more than $35 billion in California alone. The state’s manufacturing economy more than doubled during that period, and 1.6 million people moved there to work. The construction industry leaped back to life as new bases, naval facilities, air fields, and supporting civilian war industries had transformed the Los Angeles city- scape into a modern metroplex with the latest in architectural and metallurgical technology. And steel was the key to it all. Reliance did experience one setback when, in August 1942, Harold Ridgway joined the Army and submitted his res- ignation as Secretary-Treasurer and Director. Recently hired Corporate Secretary Frances E. Haney took the third spot on the Board and held it for four years until she was succeeded in both positions by Bettie Littell. Shortly after this management transition there was also a transformation in the company name. Reliance did not hold any prime contracts with the U.S. government, but operated as a “short job” sub-contrac- tor for larger companies, providing small volumes at low cost and with quick delivery. There was another company, based in Pennsylvania and also called Reliance Steel Products Co., which did have several prime defense contracts, the terms of which required it to operate in California. The Pennsylvania company could not do so, however, as long as it carried the

same name as Neilan’s California company. The Pennsylva- nia firm requested that Reliance alter its name and proposed to defray all expenses associated with the change. It further promised to withdraw its qualification once its contracts were completed or when the war was over. Neilan did not object; the company was renamed Reliance Steel Company as of January 17, 1944.

Bettie Littell joined Reliance in 1946 and served as Secretary-Treasurer for nearly fifty years.

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