L.A. Steelcraft Products Sells to Americana Outdoor

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Americana Outdoor announced Nov. 15 it would acquire the brand L.A. Steelcraft Products Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

L.A. Steelcraft Products, the Pasadena maker of playground equipment that does about $5 million in sales annually, shut its doors in March.

Melanie Johnson, an executive at Americana Outdoor, said L.A. Steelcraft Products is expected to be dissolved shortly. A representative from L.A. Steelcraft could not be reached for comment.

Salem, Ill.-based Americana has begun fulfilling some of L.A. Steelcraft’s orders.

Americana will retain L.A. Steelcraft’s brand and will merge its manufacturing operations with one of its subsidiary companies, PW Athletic. Mesa, Ariz.-based PW Athletic has about 25 employees who manufacture similar equipment.

Steelcraft had manufactured sports and playground equipment for schools and municipalities across the region. Its products include bike racks, aluminum tables, and benches and trash receptacles.

The company began as a small fabricating plant that made backyard swing sets, slides and clothesline poles in the 1940s. It eventually grew, with a facility taking up nearly an entire block on Lincoln Avenue in Pasadena, which is where the company’s initials L.A. derive from.

A portion of the property sold last year for commercial space. The rest of property is up for sale.

The company’s tables and playground equipment can be found across Southern California, from the Los Angeles Police Academy to the Santa Anita Racetrack, according to the Steelcraft’s website.

“We value the reputation L.A. Steelcraft has built as a family owned and operated business for more than 70 years,” said Gerald Purcell, Americana’s president. “Providing sports equipment for schools, parks and first responders involves trust and confidence and Americana will strive to not only keep but build upon this solid foundation.”

Americana will not retain the land where Steelcraft is located but has rights to the company’s website, phone number and manufacturing equipment, Johnson said.

Americana does about $18 million sales annually and is sold in more than 3,000 retail locations.

Manufacturing, retail and trade reporter Rachel Uranga can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 556-8351. Follow her on Twitter @racheluranga.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the age of L.A. Steelcraft Products Inc.

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