Levand Steel and Supply Corp

Birmingham's reputation in the early twentieth century as the “Pittsburgh of the South” convinced the leaders of Levand Steel & Supply Corporation in the early 1980s to look to the Magic City as a location for one of the company's trading offices. The company, founded by the late Jack J. Levand in Ohio in 1934, specializes today in ferrous products ranging from steel scrap to large steel castings. Levand's products are now handled from offices in Birmingham, Los Angeles, and Baltimore to customers throughout the United States and around the world.

Chris Metcalf, a 42-year veteran of the industry, was tapped by another company in the mid-1970s to relocate to the South from his native England. Metcalf, who proudly traces his family's roots to 14th century England, came to the United States in 1976, and opened the Levand office in Birmingham five years later.“The early 1980's were a depressed time for the steel industry in America,” Metcalf relates, “and we were not well known in the South. We had to create a plan to increase our market share in the Southeastern states. We were well established in the Northeast, the Midwest, and on the West Coast, and worked hard to make ourselves better known in this region.”

Metcalf and his staff quickly launched a multifaceted approach to improving the company's name recognition in the South. Knowing that they faced serious challenges in competing with firms long established in this area, they focused on personalized service to their clients, and were available, as they are today, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They also began selling British and German manufactured metallurgical instruments for the aluminum foundries and recycling industries.Their efforts paid off. Levand Steel & Supply's Birmingham office now is a principle shipper of products each month to a diversified list of customers.Metcalf also points to the founder's penchant for diversification as a reason for the company's steady growth over the years. Moving into the mining sector proved to be an effective strategy. Levand Steel & supply now owns three iron ore mines in California, a gypsum and agricultural lime mine in Brazil, and other mining interests in the Western states.