Celebrating 50 Years

Petersen Aluminum celebrates
50th anniversary, plans next 50 years

Petersen Aluminum Corp. is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding by honoring its first five decades of success, and preparing to navigate shifting market forces during its next 50 years. Maurice Petersen founded the company on Feb. 15, 1965 as an aluminum distribution company in Chicago, then watched with his son Mike as it grew into the construction market’s premier architectural metals manufacturer and the leader in quality and service.

Today, as in 1965, Petersen Aluminum’s mission is to offer the highest-quality architectural metal products and service available while providing employees with a corporate culture that fosters professional development, personal accountability and an enjoyable environment. As anniversary celebrations subside in the coming weeks, Petersen Aluminum will continue to keep its collective eye on the future, including how to address external market forces that are sure to include sustainable construction, material supplies and prices, construction workforce shifts, regulation, consolidation and others.

Quick history lesson

In February 1965, Maurice “Maury” Petersen began operation of Petersen Aluminum as an aluminum distributor in Chicago. The concept was to distribute aluminum mill products for aluminum producers not having a distributor organization or outlets for their products. Two manufacturers of truck cabs and printing plates promised support in the new venture.

Business began in a pie-shaped office rented for $75 a month. The lists of partners and customers grew as did revenue. During the first years, people and sources left and came, but the efforts toward success continued. Early on, the company relocated between five offices and six warehouses. By 1967, the company owned a truck, a 60-in. cut-to-length line, a shear and a saw. An unofficial company motto evolved: Work Hard; Have Fun; No Politics.

During the next two and a half decades, Petersen Aluminum grew its revenue, product line and geography, until the company constructed and moved into its headquarters in Elk Grove Village, Ill., in 1994, where it remains. It also operates facilities in four branch locations including Acworth, Ga., Tyler, Texas, Annapolis Junction, Md., and Fridley, Minn.

Petersen Aluminum maintains a goal of providing products of the highest possible quality within reliable, dependable lead-times. Its strong national sales base allows it to maintain large inventories and cost economies to customers. The product line now includes standing seam and exposed fasteners roofing panels, metal wall and soffit panels, composite panel, column covers and aluminum and steel coil and flat sheet in painted, anodized and mill finish.

Long-recognized as an industry leader in metal standing seam roofing products, Petersen also offers exposed fastener panels, flush panels, composite wall panels and column covers. All provide the well-known Petersen quality and are available in PAC-CLAD® Kynar 500® finish in 38 standard colors on steel and 37 aluminum. Most colors meet LEED®, Cool Roof Rating Council certification requirements.