U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos recently visited Keystone Steel & Wire Co., producer of Red Brand wire products.
When is red actually green? Each year, our steel plant in Peoria, Illinois, recycles roughly 800,000 tons of scrap metal. That’s 1,600,000,000 pounds of appliances, automobiles, and other steel products. Instead of slowly decomposing in a junkyard somewhere, the steel we recycle has new life on farms, ranches, and beyond.
Being American made for over 125 years has weaved both experience and heritage into every roll of fence we make. From our humble beginnings in a shed to today’s industry-leading factory, our iconic red top fence has served generations of farmers. Through World Wars, the Great Depression, and even recent agricultural and economic challenges, Red Brand products have been standing guard on American farms and ranches since 1889.
Throughout our history, the strength and durability of our fences have rarely been questioned. However, one of our most common queries is, “Why the red top?” To answer this question, we have to look back almost a hundred years, to the early 1900’s.
It’s not every day that a 125-year old company gets a visit from the grandson of its founder. But, that’s just what happened recently when Ben Sommer, grandson of Peter Sommer, stopped by Keystone Steel & Wire for a tour.
The History of Peter Sommer
Building and maintaining split rail fences in the 1880’s was backbreaking labor. So, Peter Sommer, a farmer who lived in central Illinois, was inspired to come up with a “new kind of fence”. In 1889, Peter, along with his eldest sons, John and Peter W., spent countless hours in a small wooden shed on their farm. Their goal was to devise a crude machine to weave wire into fence. The pattern they came up with resembled a keystone. (The company’s namesake, Keystone Steel & Wire, derives from Sommer’s invention.)
At Red Brand, we’re proud of all the ways that ‘American-Made’ is meaningful. The obvious list might include factors like providing jobs for hard-working Americans, impacting local economies, and demonstrating our patriotism. But, it’s also about creating a product for our customers that is consistent and reliable every time. That’s what we’ve built our reputation on for over 125 years, and why we are still considered the best in ag fencing today.
At Red Brand, we believe that working with your local Red Brand dealer is the best way to find the right fence for your specific needs. We’ve designed the RedBrand.com website to assist you in many different ways. One of the most helpful is our Dealer Locator. If you’ve made the choice to buy Red Brand fence, the Dealer Locator makes it easy to find your closest dealers.
Red Brand fence products have led the way in the agricultural fencing industry for over 125 years. Whether you are new to our products or a lifelong Red Brand user, we encourage you to take a closer look at where this American-made company, and woven wire fence, got their start.
One Blog – Multiple Resources
Red Brand’s pleased to introduce our new blog where we will build a library of resources like installation advice, product information, planning tips and more. We’re experts in the field, so you can rely on us to help with all things related to ag fencing.
Our Roots Stretch as Far as Our Fences
We’ve been around for a long time. In 1889, Peter Sommer built the world’s very first fence weaving machine because he wanted to provide a faster and easier way to build quality, longer-lasting fence. His determination and innovation resulted in Red Brand fence. And now, generations later, Red Brand keeps Sommer’s legacy alive. We continue to produce high-quality, American-made fence products that are designed to exceed the demands of our country’s diverse agricultural communities.