America's Rust Belt
Ohio Flame is a located in Northeast Ohio, an area that is often referred to as America's Rust Belt. The company is located just 20 miles south of Youngstown Ohio, a city once known as one of the nation's top steel producers. Youngstown's steel history dates back to the mid-1800's. Formerly a source of iron production after the Civil War, the Mahoning Valley converted over to steel production during the depression of the 1890's. In 1900, area investors James A. Campbell and George D. Wick, founded the Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company. The company quickly grew to become the largest locally owned steel company in the United States. The steel industry flourished in Youngstown for nearly 70 years until sadly, on September 19th, 1977, a date referred to as "Black Monday", Youngstown Sheet & Tube announced that they were shuttering operations at its Campbell Works, instantly putting 5,000 people out of work. Within the next five years of the plant's closure, more than 50,000 jobs would vanish from the Mahoning Valley.
Rust Belt Revival
In the decades that followed "Black Monday", the former steel town has worked hard to find a way to reinvent itself, just as many other Rust Belt cities from Pittsburgh to Chicago have done. Though the area's steel mills remain dormant, the Rust Belt has experienced a recent economic revival in the form of the arts, entertainment, manufacturing and technology. Ohio Flame finds itself a part of this Rust Belt Revival and embraces their town's beloved medium of steel. It's with this steel that the company combines art with technology to proudly represent their hometown's heritage at an international level through the manufacture of hand crafted American Made steel Fire Pits and accessories.
Ohio Flame Beginnings
Ohio Flame was started by local artist and Ohio native, Matt Skillman, in the summer of 2009. His background in the steel industry and art came together in the form a the most durable Fire Pit he could design. Rugged, Dependable, and Proudly American, he named it "The Patriot" in honor of his relatives who served in the Armed Forces. As an Artist of the Rust Belt, his rugged steel Fire Pits quickly caught on in the Youngstown area. It didn't take long for the name "Ohio Flame" to become synonymous with American Made durability and quality, and soon online retailers began drop-shipping his products all across the country. Now in their 15th year, the company has grown into one of the leading manufacturers of American Made steel Fire Pits and accessories. Although the company has grown, some things remain the same; their commitment to American Made. Because of this, Ohio Flame proudly continues to source their heavy gauge American steel from various domestic steel mills. And as much as possible, uses American Made materials throughout their entire production process. The company's shop has been located in Columbiana, Ohio for the past 12 years. Columbiana is not only the birthplace of the famed titan of industry, Harvey Firestone, but was also named as Reader Digest's 2019's "Nicest Place in America". Their location in the C&S Industrial Center in Columbiana allows for more efficient service routes with both Ground and Freight shipments. Their shop location is open to the public by appointment only.
