Laclede Chain

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Our Origins: Preparing for the Oregon Trail

Laclede Chain Manufacturing Company traces its roots back to 1854 as a blacksmith shop in St. Louis, Missouri. Our specialty was manufacturing wagon hardware for the wagon trains heading west.

By 1920, we were importing new form and welding machines from Europe, taking them apart to grasp the technology and building more of them in house. The enterprising spirit of our team members back then is still alive and has evolved in our continuous improvement culture.

After decades of steady growth, in 1984 the company was acquired by Laclede Steel Company of St. Louis and we became known as Laclede Chain Manufacturing Company. In 2001, the company kept its name, but separated from Laclede Steel and became privately held once again.

In 2010, company president and CEO Jim Riley and long-term general manager Steve Heuett purchased Laclede Chain from the private equity company that held majority stake in a management buyout, and we’ve been family-owned ever since. Jim’s son, Tim Riley, succeeded him as president and CEO in 2019 and now leads the organization.

While we have the resources of a large company, we remain a family business that values relationships. By truly understanding your needs, our chain experts and engineers think ahead to create the chain and motion control solutions that protect your people and foster growth for your business.