History

More Than a Century of Excellence 

IKG® is known as a pioneer in the global grating industry, having applied the first use of steel mesh grating to the New York Subway System over 100 years ago. Since then IKG has been designing and developing new and innovative uses for this versatile product. From power plants to petroleum refineries, shipyards to large scale factories, IKG provides quality products to major businesses throughout the industrial sector.  

The Early Days 

The story begins in 1902 when Walter Irving establishes Irving Iron Works Company in Long Island City, New York. Just ten years later, Irving manufactures the first mass-produced grating for ventilation for the New York City subway system. The reticulated wrought-iron riveted grating process was patented in 1912.  

Irving continued its manufacturing innovation with the first riveted HV bridge deck installation on the University Bridge in Seattle, Washington in 1932. Irving Iron Works—now known as Irving Subway Grating Co. Inc.—contributed to the war effort by supplying over 1,500,000 square feet of Irving Airfield Mats to speed the tactical installation of airfields during World War II.  

Mergers and Acquisitions 

In 1965, Harsco Corporation acquired Irving Subway Grating Co., Inc. and one year later acquired Kerrigan Iron Works Co. and Gary Gratings from Rockwell-Standard Corporation. The present day IKG name was the result of Harsco Corporation merging Irving Subway Grating, Kerrigan Iron Works and Gary Grating companies into IKG Industries in 1969.  

In 1986 Harsco Corporation purchase Borden Metal Products Co. and merges it with its IKG Industry division.  

In early 2020, KPS Capital Partners announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to purchase the IKG business from Harsco Corporation for total consideration of $85 million, subject to customary closing adjustments. 

A History of Innovation 

IKG continually builds upon its history of providing innovative solutions to the industry and proudly holds an extensive list of historic accomplishments along with many “firsts” in the grating industry.  

• First mass-produced grating for ventilation for the New York City subway system in 1912.  
• First railroad tops with open mesh 
• First open-mesh decking for bridges (for the University Bridge in Seattle, Washington in 1932) 
• First engineered portable landing mats to be accepted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for use in World War II. 
• The first MEBAC® metal non-skid process was patented in 1977 and soon after IKG acquired MEBAC Inc. for its anti-slip coatings.  
• Steel MEBAC was introduced in 1985.   
• In 1992, IKG Industries patents it’s new Safe-T-Grid® extruded aluminum grating. 
• In 1998, IKG Industries patents its adjustable closed riser MEBAC® Z-Tread. 
• In 2005 IKG branched out to Leeds, Alabama, where they developed a partnership with Valmont Galvanizing. This enabled IKG to offer a steel-on-steel, hot dipping process to the general market without fear of product failure.  
• GrateCoat® Powder Coat Finish becomes the latest addition to IKG Industries portfolio of products in 2005.  
• To provide further innovative solutions to the industry, in 2014 IKG adds a new blast cabinet and a PLC-controlled coating house to its manufacturing process. 
• With the addition of our GratingBIM™ modeling services in 2017, IKG continues the tradition of delivering innovative value to our customers.