Lucas & Sons Steel- Friday, February 20, 2015

Margaret Hanley and her staff welcomed OLLI to A. Lucas & Sons, the oldest manufacturing business in Peoria and the oldest steel fabricator in the country. Margaret is a three time graduate of Bradley University and President of A. Lucas & Sons. OLLI was grateful to spend a day with a Bradley Alum who continues to make Peoria proud.

Our tour began with an overview of A. Lucas and Sons Steel’s long history, especially noting the strong employee relationships, which have helped the company withstand economic downturns. Hanley also discussed what the future holds for the small family-owned company.

As part of the tour, OLLI members split into small groups and spoke with employees working within the various stages of production. Some OLLI members even had a chance get hands-on experience at welding a steel beam. The staff at A Lucas & Sons not only spoke about the steel fabrication process, but they displayed their skills as they worked on various projects.

OLLI would like to thank Margaret and everyone at A. Lucas for welcoming us and giving us insight to the fabrication process. We look forward to our next visit. ud.