Frederick's Top 50: Canam Steel

Canam Steel in Point of Rocks, located on the very tip of Frederick County, was purchased by Canam Steel in 1986 and serves as theCorporate Headquarters. The 250,400 square foot facility produces joist products and employs about 200 people.

What do you foresee for your business and/or the economy in 2018?
Growth....steel joists were the original product line for Canam and are still a key foundation for the plant. What we see on the horizon is an increase in production year over year.  Production has increased in 2017 by 20% and we are expecting to grow another 10% in 2018. 

What would surprise people about your business?
I believe people would be surprised at the amount of product produced at this facility, and the large projects that we have already completed.  We are very proud of our production team members -  in 2016 20,00 ton of product was produced in our Joist Shop.  By the end of 2017 we will have produced 24,000 ton.  Our team members have worked on projects including the Under Armour Distribution Center, the Atlanta Falcons Football Stadium, and currently working on the Proctor & Gamble manufacturing facility.

Why did you choose Frederick County as a business location?
Canam initially purchased this location as a production facility, not only because joists were fabricated at the plant for 20 years under two previous owners, but for its geographic location near major markets and transportation routes.  

What keeps your business in Frederick County?
There are many reasons to continue in Frederick County, from outstanding schools and living opportunities, to a sense of community and economic advantages, the ease of doing business, the availability of labor which we can pull from many surrounding areas, and the services provided by our local and state agencies.

What awards or accolades do you want to brag about?
We received the first Diversity and Inclusion Award presented by the Frederick County Society for Human Resource Management; named one of Frederick County’s Innovative Businesses for our innovation in training and operations;  received the prestigious Maryland International Business Leadership Award - an award that highlights the accomplishments of top Maryland companies;  presented with the Governor’s Leadership Award given by The World Trade Center Institute;  in May, 2015 The Regional Manufacturing Institute recognized Canam for their commitment and dedication to their community; also recognized for our partnership with Frederick Community College;  and on several occasions, have received the award for Best Family-Friendly Places to Work in Frederick County.

 

About Frederick’s Top 50

Frederick’s Top 50 for 2018 marks an inaugural list of businesses who have the largest potential to contribute to Frederick County’s vibrant economy. The metrics-driven list was created by OED with assistance from Hood College, using research from InfoUSA, tax records, CoStar and internal data collection. Data was analyzed using a weighted scoring system in the following areas: Number of Employees in Frederick County, Annual Property Taxes Paid, Square Footage Occupied in Frederick County, Location Sales Volume and Year Established.