Abe Winograd’s career began out of a pushcart on the west side of Denver.
“He would buy things from one person and sell them to another,” said Dan Winograd, Abe’s grandson. “He bought chickens and he bought eggs. He bought anything he could lay his hands on.”
Abe’s entrepreneurship continued when he bought a pick up and began to collect scrap metal. He eventually opened the Reliable Junk House in 1917 in Greeley, where again, he sold just about anything. At one point, he had about 5 acres of scrap metal, Dan recalled.
Abe’s son, Harold, took charge of the family business a few decades later, when it was known for being Winograd’s Steel and Supply. In 1997, Norfolk Iron and Metal acquired the Winograds’ company, and the Nebraska-based steel powerhouse has run the show ever since.
On Friday, Norfolk Iron and Metal representatives honored the Winograds’ legacy and celebrated 100 years of business for the company, including all the name changes and acquisition. Employees gave attendees tours of Norfolk’s facility, who then were invited to stay for lunch and a presentation.
According to Ron Wildeman, district manager of about 20 years for Greeley’s Norfolk Iron and Metal location, about 300 people attended the event at the 250,000-square-foot facility, 31181 Weld County Road 39 1/2 in Greeley. Attendees ranged from community officials to customers and suppliers for the company.
“I came to soak this all in,” said Dan, who was attending the event to represent the Winograd family.
He said he was impressed by how much the company has grown since selling to Norfolk. He said the amount of steel that’s in the current warehouse was about 50 years worth of sales value when his father, Harold, was in charge.
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“It’s a great testament,” Winograd said. “I can take pride in the fact my grandfather planted the seed, but (Wildeman) was the one who grew the tree.”
At the event, Norfolk officials also provided Winograd K-8 School, which is named after Harold, with a $10,000 check. Wildeman said it was to show its support to the Greeley community, which has supported the company since its inception in 1917.
Norfolk Iron and Metal has grown enormously since the acquisition of Winograd’s Steel in 1997, Wildeman said, and the company employs about 90 people in Greeley and 650 people company-wide. Greeley’s location has about 24 million pounds of steel in its warehouse and sends out about 800,000 pounds of steel a day.
“This has been a great location,” said Dick Robinson, owner of Norfolk Iron and Metal. “We enjoy the community and we enjoy the people. We’re very proud to be here.”
Added Wildeman: “It’s very special to have this happen. Not many companies can celebrate 100 years.”
