The Bilco Company is pleased to announce that it has marked 85 years of service to the building industry. A third-generation family-owned company, Bilco is widely known for designing and manufacturing high-quality specialty access products for residential and commercial construction markets.

What began as a neighborhood iron shop in 1926, when George W. Lyons, Sr. started The Builders Iron Company in New Haven, Connecticut, now has grown into an ISO 9001-certi# ed company with more than 200 employees, multiple manufacturing facilities, and worldwide sales and distribution.

The spirit of innovation was at the heart of Bilco’s initial success when Lyons, Sr. introduced the first metal basement door to the market. After World War II, Lyons’ five sons joined the business and the product line was soon expanded to include commercial roof hatches, floor doors, and automatic fire vents, many of which featured patented designs. Now managed by the third generation of the Lyons family, the company continues to build on the innovative spirit of its founder. Among its accomplishments, the current management team has added emergency egress window wells to the residential product line, expanded sales and distribution to markets worldwide, and implemented LEAN manufacturing principles to eliminate waste, lower costs, and optimize productivity throughout the organization. “Over these 85 years, Bilco has continuously improved existing products and designed new products that operate safely and easily to exceed customer expectations,” said Robert Lyons, Jr., President of The Bilco Company. “We have been successful in growing the business by being responsive to our domestic customers and by expanding our presence in international markets.”

With headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, Bilco now has manufacturing facilities in Trumann, Arkansas, and Zanesville, Ohio, and international sales offices in Canada, Mexico, China, and the UK. In addition, the company has established a network of dealers, distributors, and sales representatives to serve the building industry worldwide. “As we look toward the future, Bilco will strive to develop new products to satisfy the ever changing needs of our customers and continue to expand domestic and international markets by applying the high-quality product standards and innovative thinking passed down by my grandfather,” added Lyons, Jr.