About Us

Parker Steel® stocks only metric-sized metals in cold-drawn rounds, hexagons, squares, and flats, TG&P shafting, chrome-plated shafting, tubing in seamless and welded diameters, welded square and rectangular tubing, round and square telescopic tubing, hydraulic tubing, capillary tubing, threaded rod, cold and hot-rolled sheets and plates, shims, T’s, angles, channels, beams, and drill rod, all in millimeter sizes. We also stock metric sizes in carbon steel, alloy, stainless steel, brass, and aluminum.

Parker Steel is unique because we are the only steel distributor in the United States that stocks exclusively metric-dimensional metals. Our products are perfect for customers who require pre-sized metric stock, eliminating the need for further machining.

We thrive on excellent service and quality and are now ISO 9001 and CTPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) certified. Certifications and test reports can be furnished upon request.

Drop shipments can be arranged to meet your needs. If you do not find the size or grade of metal in our reference guide, contact us, and we will try to get it for you immediately. If you would like a hard copy of our Metric Metals Reference Guide, e-mail us, and we will gladly ship a copy to you. To download our current Reference Guide, click here.

History of Parker Steel

Parker Steel Company, located in Toledo, Ohio, is unique because it is the only steel distributor in the United States that stocks exclusively metric dimensional metals. This makes it the largest supplier of metric-sized metals and services in North America. Though Parker Steel was established in 1955 by Leo Goldner, his son Paul Goldner renamed the company to Parker Steel International in 1991, at the bottom of a depression in the steel industry. The steel business was terrible, and selling what everyone else was selling seemed like a route to disaster.

He wanted to do something in metals that had never been tried before. Paul found that no warehouses in America stocked metric sizes of carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and copper in all the standard shapes. There were about 25 firms that sold metric sizes of metals, but none covered the entire range of products. He aimed to make the purchase of metal in metric sizes as fast, convenient, and easy for the buyer as possible.

He started the business by himself, hired a secretary, and stocked the steel in the basement below his office. Initially, Paul bought the inventory, received it, and stored all the metal himself. He also took the orders and packed and loaded the trucks himself.

Today, Parker Steel has over 120,000 square feet of warehouse space stocked with six times as many metric-size items as all its competitors combined. Now, there is a fully trained warehouse crew, an experienced sales staff, a purchasing department, and a clerical office. The company stocks over 6,500 line items in products such as round, flat, and hex bars. Also, there are chrome-plated shafting, equal and unequal angles, tees, I beam, channels, shim stock, plates, sheets, round and seamless round tubing, and square and rectangular tubing.

Parker Steel is a business-to-business provider with an extremely diverse customer base, ranging from engineers and large corporations to small job shop owners and everyone in between. Because of its extensive stock and low minimum order of $85, the company can ship 96% of orders the same day.

And Paul is glad to report he doesn’t have to pack and ship orders anymore!