1879: Washington Dillon and William Robinson file for incorporation of Northwestern Steel and Wire Co.
1883: Robinson dies
1892: Dillon-Griswold Wire Co. established between Dillon and J.W. Griswold
1902: Griswold dies; Dillon returns to operation of NWSW
1903: Washington's son, P.W. Dillon, named plant superintendent at age 20
1914: NWSW buys former Dillon-Griswold plant and moves into new quarters
1920: Washington Dillon dies; P.W. Dillon elected president
1928: First major fire in the wire mill
1930: P.W.'s son, Martin, named to head subsidiary: Parrish-Alford Fence and Machine Co. in Knightstown, Indiana
1936: NWSW starts making steel in two small electric arc furnaces
1939: Second major fire destroys wire mill; rebuilding starts 3 days later
1940: Two 50-ton electric furnaces replace original 10-ton units
1950: 46-inch blooming ("A") mill and 12-inch bar mill installed in newly constructed West plan area
1951: Two 150-ton electric furnaces installed; P.W. Dillon named chairman of board; Martin Dillon elected president
1957: 20-inch structural mill installed in Plant 3
1960: NWSW begins trading on New York Stock Exchange
1962: 24-inch structural mill added alongside 20-inch mill in Plant 3
1968: 250-ton electric furnace installed
1971: 400-ton electric furnace, largest in the world, installed; Martin's son, Peter, named vice president and director
1973: Work begins on 46-inch blooming ("B") mill and 14-inch marchant bar mill
1976: Major expansion: second 400-ton furnace, new 14-inch bar mill, and second 46-inch blooming mill installed
1980: P.W. Dillon dies
1981: Groundbreaking ceremonies for Continuous Caster facility
Aug. 1-Oct. 24, 1983: USWA, Local 63 Steel Division, workers strike
1984: New nail mill facility and warehouse opened
1985: Peter Dillon promoted to vice chairman, then named CEO; Robert Wilthew elected president and COO; Martin Dillon retires as CEO at age 75, after 55 years with company, but stays on as chairman
1986: Robert Wilthew named CEO
Aug. 16, 1988: NWSW merges with NW Acquisition
1989: NWSW officially acquires former Armco Steel Mill in Houston; Martin Dillon dies
1990: Wilthew retires as president and CEO; largest ladle metallurgy furnace in the world is installed
1991: Jumbo Caster starts up; Robert N. Gurnitz named president and CEO
1992: Kohlberg & Co. buys 51 percent of company
1995: NWSW Family Health Center opens to provide medical care for employees, retirees and dependents
1996: Concrete reinforcing mesh production facility in Hickman, Kentucky, completed; Richard D. Way elected president and COO, to report to Robert N. Gurnitz, chairman and CEO
1997: Gurnitz resigns; Thomas A. Gildehaus replaces him; NWSW announces it will close its rolling mill in Houston
1998: NWSW signs letter of intent to merge with Bayou Steel Corporation, later terminates merger; company announces exit from most wire products; Frederick Rocchio appointed president and CEO; William Andrews appointed chairman of board; Gildehaus retires
April 1999: Company announces sale of Hickman facilities
1999: Furnace revamp announced
2000: Company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
2001: Company announces closing of all plants, and will cease operations; it pays $1.4 million bonus to top management
May 2002: Leggett & Platt, a.k.a. Sterling Steel LLC, buys parts of NWSW for $4 million
June 2002: Company files Chapter 7 bankruptcy
– Information from former nwsw.com