Pacific Steel Casting was founded in 1934, making steel castings for the U. S. Military. One of the founders was Ivan Johnson, the first chairman of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. The foundry quickly gained a reputation for making high quality castings and it grew steadily over the years in the industrial neighborhood on Second Street in West Berkeley. As PSC grew, the steel industry in the United States shrank as foreign produced steel products flooded the American market. Today, PSC is the third largest surviving steel foundry in the country. The company has grown steadily throughout the years adding Plant #2 in 1974 and Plant #3 in 1981. Pacific Steel has survived tough competition by maintaining loyal customers who return for excellent service and superior quality castings. The company has always been privately held, as it remains today. The Board of Directors is comprised of current and former managers of the plant with hundreds of years of foundry experience among them.