It takes a certain caliber of business to achieve true longevity. Market conditions and trends can knock even the most successful companies off course. National Steel City, founded in 1912, is a company that first went into business the year the Titanic sank and it has continuously operated since then. As NSC Chief Executive Officer Bob Dunn explains, the company has needed to pivot and re-strategize on a number of occasions over its 112-year history.
Through the decades, NSC leadership has changed hands at various times. Dunn joined the company in the late 1980’s, a fortuitous milestone for the company as the previous owner was considering selling. “I had worked with the previous owner and we figured out an arrangement that involved a few of us buying the business in 1988,” Dunn said. “We’ve operated continuously since then and never looked back.”
The Plymouth, Michigan-based company was largely involved in the domestic auto industry at the time, working on structural steel and building modifications. However, Dunn describes the NSC as a ‘market-driven and customer-focused’ business, meaning it can seamlessly meet and exceed customer expectations on every project. As he explains, this flexibility has been invaluable.
“We’ve had the fortune of performing great work for our customers and have built a reputation for reliability, responsibility and consistently performing on-time and on-budget,” Dunn said.
Dunn said it was challenging in the early eighties to grow in the automotive industry as the sector was exposed to retail trends and changing consumer buying behavior that made the pace of projects awarded unpredictable. However, as NSC had done many times before, the team found ways to innovate and expand its book of business.
Dunn said NSC focused on its core strength: the construction of complex steel structures. “Our projects required complex structures and logistics, handling large volumes of structural steel, and having meticulous project management leadership to organize and arrange the logistics to get the job done.”
NSC sharpened its scope of services to include working on construction of some of the nation’s largest convention centers, stadiums and sporting arenas, as well as other large-scale heavy industrial projects. This allowed NSC to expand its geographic reach and earn an impeccable reputation across more than 30 states.
Over the last 20 years, NSC has served as a highly valued and respected specialty contractor on large-scale critical infrastructure projects at leading airports, including: Detroit Midfield Terminal, Miami International Airport’s South Terminal, Kansas City International during the pandemic, and most recently, the successful completion of Pittsburgh International Airport’s Terminal Modernization Program.
Bob Dunn, CEO of National Steel City 
At the heart of NSC’s success is a strict adherence to living and practicing safety as a core company value. “Not only do we have a great performance from the standpoint of being done early on the schedule, but we also have a stellar safety record.” Dunn explained how NSC company culture adheres to safety best practices in and out of the office and project sites.
“One of the first jobs we did outside Detroit was a copper mine and processing facility in Utah and new buildings we were charged with constructing on the project. What separated us was our safety record and the customer’s need to find a steel construction company with a safety record that met the requirements of both the owner and the Mine Safety, Health, Administration,” Dunn said. “You have to be familiar with them and you have to have a track record of performance that allows you to be considered for work under which those safety provisions are going to be performed.”
NSC has been at the forefront of safety in construction since it began operations. One notable differentiator is the company’s strict adherence to a policy known as the 100% tie-off. If a worker moves more than six feet from the working surface they have to be tied off so there is no risk of losing footing and falling. Workers and crew also wear full-body harnesses, hard hats, PPE and follow strict safety protocols while on the job site.
“We’ve been honored to receive multiple safety awards through the decades, keeping people from injury, reducing risk and returning our crews home safely,” Dunn said. “It makes safety a prevailing and cornerstone company value – it’s what drives us.”
“We’ve been honored to receive multiple safety awards through the decades, keeping people from injury, reducing risk and returning our crews home safely.”
This passion and dedication to keeping our staff safe extends well beyond internal company policy and training. An in-depth knowledge of varying requirements across different states means NSC can prepare its workers accordingly. For example, installing fans and water stations may be required on hot-weather job sites or providing warm clothing for workers in the cold.
Dunn says that not every company values safety in the same way, and in those cases, he says the team makes a conscious decision not to bid as NSC is unwilling to put its employees and other stakeholders at risk.
“At the end of the day, what could be more important than somebody’s life? Nothing.” NSC’s safety values and continuous improvement practices have helped the company navigate challenging headwinds and kept the company in its leadership position. Case in point: 82 percent of the company’s business originates from repeat customers, and employee retention and satisfaction remains high.
For Dunn, the secret to NSC’s success, reputation and longevity boils down to one word: commitment.
“It’s a commitment to each other, a commitment to the customer, and a paramount commitment to safety – that’s what it’s all about and what continues to make NSC a true industry standout.”
