Jamestown / New York / United States
Dahlstrom Roll Form was started in 1904 when Charles Dahlstrom invented the first fire door, a hollow metal door filled with a fire retardant material. From there, the construction industry demanded other materials that would build upon the fire retardant effectiveness of the metal door. Roll forming began with profiles that were developed for door and window moldings, baseboard and cove moldings and eventually, panels and wall partitions. These items formed the first fire protection for the many high-rise buildings being constructed in the major cities throughout the nation. From this architectural beginning, Dahlstrom followed the industrialization of the country, participating in the advent of the automotive industry, the elevator industry, the rail industry and eventually in the computer industry.