Since the dawn of recorded time, rivers have served as one of the most important avenues of transportation, communication, and industry in societies. America’s rivers are certainly no different. Since before the country was founded, commerce and economic output have congregated near rivers, not to mention some of the largest and most industrial cities.
Paducah Rigging is one of the strongest and most illustrious names in the wire rope, chain and synthetic rope markets, and we owe much of our tradition to the rivers of America. These life-giving streams have helped shape our work, our products, and our legacy.
The History of River Industries in America
For hundreds of years, the strong rivers of the U.S. have influenced the economies and population centers of the country. The mighty Mississippi River is a prime example.
Starting in the 1600s, the Mississippi was key to the fur trade, allowing for transport of hides harvested in the northern territories of present-day Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada to buyers in the South. Later on, as American society expanded west, the Mississippi became an even more crucial lifeblood to budding communities.
The river was used to transport grain from the prairies, as well as to mill it into flour in places like Minneapolis. Cotton grown in Tennessee, minerals and oil drilled in Arkansas, and traders and commoners alike were all transported via riverboat up and down the heart of the country. Fast forward to today, and the Mississippi is still a hub of activity and industry.
Paducah’s Start on the River
In the early 1970s, Paducah Rigging was formed to supply heavy duty wire rope and lifting supplies to America’s industries. And what better place to cater to these industries than on the river?
In the city of Paducah, Kentucky, on the Ohio River, the company specialized in fabricating what the local industries needed: rigging equipment for local boats and barges.
Over the ensuing decades the river continued to exert its influence as it always has. As Paducah Rigging slowly but surely became a household name, we expanded our operations to other hubs of the rigging and lifting industries, such as St. Louis (IL), Memphis (TN), Reserve (LA), and Greenville (MS) – all of which are based on the Mississippi River. As our reputation for quality and excellence grew throughout the nation, our connection to the rivers of the heartland grew even stronger.
The River’s Impact Today
Today, though our partnerships have grown and expanded beyond the main north-south corridor of the U.S., the influence of the rivers on our business is still clear as day.
We provide the industry’s best rigging hardware, deck fittings, anchors, marine chain, wire rope, and high performance synthetic lines to America’s most respected, Fortune 500 companies, many of which do business along the river. We continue to sell more barge hauling systems in the U.S. than any other distributor in the country.
As the rivers flow onward as they did thousands of years ago, they continue to shape and propel our business forward – their currents shaping the might and legacy of Paducah Rigging.
America’s Rigging Partner
For all things rigging and lifting – from inspections and certifications, to rigging hardware and fittings, to asset tracking and specialized synthetic lines, to custom fabricated wire rope and chain – turn to the industry leaders at Paducah Rigging. With hundreds of years of combined industry experience across our team, we can help answer your questions and completely outfit your operation. If you need it, we can supply it. Through a commitment to total service and 24/7 on-call support, we will be right there when you need us. Contact us today or explore the rest of our product offerings.