Steel has emerged as the defining material of the modern age, fundamentally transforming human civilization through its unparalleled combination of strength, versatility, and abundance. From the soaring skyscrapers that pierce urban skylines to the intricate microprocessors powering our digital world, steel’s influence permeates every aspect of contemporary life.

This remarkable alloy, born from the marriage of iron and carbon, has evolved from a precious commodity in ancient times to become the backbone of global infrastructure, the catalyst for industrial revolutions, and the enabler of technological innovations that continue to reshape our world.

A History Of Steel In The Modern Era (1800 – Present Day)

The modern history of steel represents a remarkable journey of innovation, industrialization, and global transformation. Beginning with crucible steel experiments in the early 1800s, the industry underwent revolutionary changes through the Bessemer process, open-hearth furnaces, and electric arc technology. The 20th century witnessed steel’s role in two world wars, the rise of automotive and aerospace industries, and the construction of iconic structures worldwide. Today, with global production exceeding 1.9 billion metric tons annually, steel continues to evolve through green hydrogen technology, digital manufacturing, and sustainable production methods, positioning itself as a critical material for addressing climate change and enabling the technologies of tomorrow.

Chronology

• 1809 – The earliest survey map showing a commercial “tramroad” for steel mill materials transport is drawn in Pennsylvania [1]
• 1837 – John Deere invents the first commercially successful steel plow in Illinois, revolutionizing agriculture by effectively cutting through prairie soil [1, 2, 3]
• 1855 – Henry Bessemer patents the Bessemer process in England, enabling mass production of steel by blowing air through molten pig iron to remove impurities; the process dramatically increases steel production efficiency and reduces costs, transforming steel from a specialty material to an industrial commodity [1, 2, 3, 4]
• 1862 – Richard Gatling patents his revolutionary rapid-fire gun featuring multiple rotating steel barrels and steel cartridge chambers; Prussian Army adopts the Dreyse needle gun with cast steel barrels, enabling mass production and allowing Prussia to equip 270,000 rifles by 1866 [2, 3, 4, 32]
• 1865 – First Champion mowers with steel components are sold in the United States, marking the beginning of mechanized farming equipment [6]
• 1867 – The first commercially available steel rails in the U.S. are manufactured at the Cambria Iron Works in Johnstown, Pennsylvania [7]
• 1870 – U.S. steel production reaches approximately 69,000 tons annually as the industry begins its rapid expansion; railroad construction in the United States accelerates dramatically, with 170,000 miles of steel track added between 1870 and 1900 [5, 8]
• 1873 – Winchester introduces the steel-framed Model 1873 rifle chambering the more potent .44-40 centerfire cartridge [12]
• 1874 – Carnegie’s Keystone Bridge Company completes the steel-structured Eads Bridge across the Mississippi River in St. Louis [5]
• 1876 – Winchester releases the Model 1876 Centennial rifle with heavier steel frame for full-powered centerfire cartridges [12]
• 1883 – Brooklyn Bridge opens on May 24 as the world’s first steel suspension bridge, using steel cable wire [3]
• 1884 – Hiram Maxim invents the first fully automatic machine gun in London, featuring steel receiver, barrel, and operating mechanism [34, 35]
• 1885 – The Home Insurance Building in Chicago, the world’s first steel-frame skyscraper, is completed at ten stories [9, 10, 11]
• 1889 – James Otis and the Otis Elevator Company install the first electric elevator, enabling construction of taller steel-frame buildings; the U.S. output of steel exceeds that of Britain, with Andrew Carnegie owning a large portion of American production [5, 11]
• 1892 – John Froelich invents the first gasoline-powered tractor with steel components in Iowa; the Homestead Strike occurs at Carnegie Steel, highlighting tensions in the steel industry [3, 5, 12]
• 1900 – The U.S. produces 10,336,764 metric tons of steel, representing 36.0% of world production and becoming the global leader; global steel production reaches approximately 28.7 million metric tons; the electric arc furnace is adapted for steelmaking, initially for specialty steels [2, 5, 13]
• 1901 – J.P. Morgan creates U.S. Steel Corporation through merger, capitalized at $1.466 billion, the first billion-dollar company [5]
• 1903 – Charles M. Schwab purchases Bethlehem Steel, which becomes the second-largest American steel company [5]
• 1905 – First U-boat submarine construction begins with steel pressure hulls typically 40-50mm thick [36, 37]
• 1906 – HMS Dreadnought launched as the first all-big-gun battleship, entirely fabricated of steel, revolutionizing naval warfare; Wagner Tractor Inc. builds the first 4WD agricultural tractors with steel articulated frame steering [6, 38, 39]
• 1912 – Harry Brearley invents stainless steel in Sheffield, England, creating a corrosion-resistant alloy [3]
• 1913 – Henry Ford introduces the steel-based assembly line for automobile production [14]
• 1916 – Britain begins building aircraft using steel components during World War I; approximately 20,000 steel tractors are sold in the U.S., increasing to over 1 million by 1935 [3, 15]
• 1917 – Henry Ford introduces the mass-produced Fordson tractor with steel components [3]
• 1918 – John Deere purchases the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, entering the steel tractor manufacturing business [12]
• 1919 – The Steel Strike of 1919 disrupts the entire U.S. steel industry for months [5]
• 1920 – Electric arc furnaces begin supplanting crucible process for specialty steels due to falling electricity costs; rapid urbanization drives steel demand for construction [2, 5, 14]
• 1922 – USS Langley (CV-1) commissioned as the U.S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier in March, converted from the collier USS Jupiter with steel hull and flight deck construction [33]
• 1923 – President Harding and social reformers force U.S. Steel to end the 12-hour workday [5]
• 1924 – W.H. Hatfield at Brown Firth Laboratories develops the 18/8 stainless steel alloy (18% chromium, 8% nickel), which becomes widely used in surgical applications [3]
• 1926 – First surgical steel implants are used in medical procedures [3]
• 1931 – The Empire State Building is completed using 60,000 tons of steel supplied by U.S. Steel [4]
• 1936 – U.S. Army adopts the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle with steel receiver, barrel, and operating parts [26, 27]
• 1940 – The Soviet T-34 tank enters production, using rolled homogeneous armor steel for protection [16]
• 1941 – U.S. begins mass reproduction of M1903 Springfield rifles with steel receivers and barrels for WWII [23, 24]
• 1945 – World War II ends with steel having played a crucial role in military equipment production including tanks, warships, aircraft, artillery, and ammunition; “Little Boy” atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima uses steel as component of tamper and neutron reflector [16, 3]
• 1952 – The Linz-Donawitz process of basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS) is developed, revolutionizing steel production efficiency [4]
• 1955 – Nucor pioneers the mini-mill concept using electric arc furnaces to recycle scrap steel [5]
• 1959 – The Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS) for steel tractors is developed at UC Davis [6]
• 1960 – West Germany produces 34 million tons of steel, becoming Europe’s leading producer; the continuous casting process for steel is widely adopted, improving quality and reducing waste [2]
• 1966 – Deere & Co. introduces the Roll-Guard, the first widely accepted steel roll-over protective structure for tractors [6]
• 1967 – The British steel industry is nationalized under Labour Party control [2]
• 1970 – West Germany produces 46 million tons of steel, reaching peak production levels; global steel production reaches approximately 595 million metric tons [2, 17]
• 1987 – Nucor pioneers compact strip production (CSP) for producing sheet steel in mini-mills [2]
• 1988 – Margaret Thatcher’s government privatizes British Steel Corporation as British Steel plc [18]
• 1999 – Italian steel industry completes privatization process with sale of state-owned steel assets [5]
• 2000 – U.S. crude steel production reaches 101.8 million metric tons [19]
• 2001 – China joins the World Trade Organization, accelerating its steel industry growth [20]
• 2007 – The concept of green steel emerges as environmental concerns drive innovation in production methods [21]
• 2010 – China becomes the dominant global steel producer, accounting for nearly half of world production [17]
• 2012 – 3D printing technology begins to be applied to steel manufacturing for complex components [22]
• 2014 – U.S. steel industry revenue peaks at $101 billion before declining due to global competition [23]
• 2015 – Paris Agreement signed, accelerating focus on green steel production and decarbonization [24]
• 2019 – Boston Metal develops molten oxide electrolysis technology for zero-emission steel production [21, 25]
• 2020 – Global steel production reaches 1,864 million metric tons with China producing 54% [17, 26]
• 2021 – H2 Green Steel (now Stegra) founded in Sweden to produce hydrogen-based green steel [21, 27]
• 2024 – China expected to install 2.5 GW of electrolyser capacity for green hydrogen steel production [28]
• 2025 – Case IH introduces Trident 5550 fully autonomous self-propelled steel agricultural spreader; John Deere announces production-ready fully autonomous steel tractor with GPS guidance; New Holland introduces first all-electric powered steel tractor equivalent to 74-horsepower; steel recycling reaches 630 million tonnes annually in global production; ArcelorMittal announces plans for carbon-neutral steel production by 2050 [1, 6, 17, 21, 26, 29, 30, 31]
• 2026 – Boston Metal’s commercial-scale molten oxide electrolysis steel plant expected to begin operation; Hybrit green steel plant in Gällivare, Sweden scheduled to begin production; Volkswagen Trinity e-model to use low-CO2 steel from Salzgitter AG partnership [21, 27, 32, 33]

Final Thoughts

The history of steel in the modern era reveals far more than a chronicle of metallurgical advancement—it unveils the story of human ambition, innovation, and transformation on a global scale.

From Benjamin Huntsman’s crucible experiments to today’s hydrogen-powered green steel revolution, this remarkable material has consistently adapted to meet humanity’s evolving needs while reshaping the very fabric of civilization. Steel enabled the vertical cities that define our skylines, the transportation networks that connect our world, and the digital infrastructure powering the information age.

As steel continues to evolve—becoming smarter, cleaner, and more versatile—it remains the indispensable foundation upon which humanity will construct its future, proving that this ancient alloy’s greatest contributions may still lie ahead.

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] History of Steel: Ancient Invention to Modern Innovations – https://www.servicesteel.org/resources/history-of-steel

[2] The Steel Story – https://worldsteel.org/about-steel/steel-story/

[3] History of the steel industry (1850–1970) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_steel_industry_(1850–1970)

[4] Who Invented Steel? The Steel Production Timeline Explained – https://steelfabservices.com.au/who-invented-steel/

[5] Steel – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel

[6] The Long and Fascinating History of Steel in Manufacturing – https://evsmetal.com/2018/12/history-of-steel/

[7] Steel – Production, Uses, Types | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/technology/steel/History

[8] The Evolution of Steel: From Ancient Times to Modern Innovations – https://www.techsteel.net/the-evolution-of-steel-from-ancient-times-to-modern-innovations

[9] History of weapons – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_weapons

[10] From Trenches to Technology: The Weapons That Defined the 20th Century – https://vocal.media/history/from-trenches-to-technology-the-weapons-that-defined-the-20th-century

[11] The Earliest Steel Swords Were Game Changers – https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a28286/early-steel-swords-history/

[12] Winchester rifle – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_rifle

[13] History of U.S. Army Weapons – https://www.military.com/army-birthday/history-of-us-army-weapons.html

[14] Guns Germs & Steel: Variables. Steel – https://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/steel.html

[15] Sword – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword

[16] Steel During Wartime: The Role of Steel Production During World War I – https://www.steelspecialtiesinc.net/steel-during-wartime-the-role-of-steel-production-during-world-war-i/

[17] Railroads in the Late 19th Century – https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/rise-of-industrial-america-1876-1900/railroads-in-late-19th-century/

[18] The Beginnings of American Railroads and Mapping – https://www.loc.gov/collections/railroad-maps-1828-to-1900/articles-and-essays/history-of-railroads-and-maps/the-beginnings-of-american-railroads-and-mapping/

[19] Overview | Rise of Industrial America, 1876-1900 – https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/rise-of-industrial-america-1876-1900/overview/

[20] Railroads And The Industrial Revolution (1850s) – https://www.american-rails.com/1850s.html

[21] Second Industrial Revolution – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Industrial_Revolution

[22] Industrial Revolution: Transportation for Kids – https://www.ducksters.com/history/us_1800s/transportation_industrial_revolution.php

[23] M1903 Springfield: The Forgotten Substitute – https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/forgotten-substitute/

[24] M1903 Springfield – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1903_Springfield

[25] The Evolution of Farming Equipment from Plows to Autonomous Tractors – https://www.flextrades.com/blog/evolution-of-farming-equipment/

[26] M1 Garand – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Garand

[27] American WWII Sniper Rifles: The Springfield Vs the M1 Garand – https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/seminal-american-sniper-rifles.html

[28] New Agricultural Tools | History of Western Civilization II – https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/new-agricultural-tools/

[29] History of Agriculture Equipment: Important Developments and Examples – https://www.tstar.com/blog/history-of-agriculture-equipment-important-developments-and-examples

[30] Agricultural Mechanization – https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=AG005

[31] Trump Tariffs: The Economic Impact of the Trump Trade War – https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/

[32] Dreyse needle gun – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyse_needle_gun

[33] The geopolitics of trade tariffs: The new Trump presidency – https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/the-geopolitics-of-trade-tariffs-the-new-trump-presidency/

[34] Maxim gun – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_gun

[35] First Prototype Maxim Gun – http://www.victorianshipmodels.com/autoMG/Maxim/index.html

[36] U-boat – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat

[37] U-boat | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/technology/U-boat

[38] HMS Dreadnought (1906) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Dreadnought_(1906)

[39] Dreadnought, HMS – 1914-1918-Online – https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/dreadnought-hms/