After 100 years, Ward products leave town as new ownership begins a new chapter
For more than 100 years, the sound of molten metal, clanging iron, and shift whistles has been part of daily life in Blossburg. Ward Manufacturing, founded in 1924 by JosFor more than 100 years, the sound of molten metal, clanging iron, and shift whistles has been part of daily life in Blossburg. Ward Manufacturing, founded in 1924 by Joseph Patrick Ward, grew from a small ironworks into one of the region’s largest employers and a nationally recognized name in pipe fittings.
Ward began with cast-iron steam and drainage fittings, plugs, and bushings. By the late 1920s, its facilities had already doubled, and in 1938 it added a new line of pipe unions. These expansions marked the start of a long tradition of growth that would carry the company through the Depression, wartime industry, and the economic ups and downs that so often hit small-town Pennsylvania.
To Blossburg, Ward was never just another factory. It was the anchor of Main Street, a place where fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, sometimes spanning three or four generations, could count on steady work.
“The foundry put food on a lot of tables in this town,” one longtime resident recalled. “It kept Blossburg going when other towns dried up.”
Through the postwar decades, Ward broadened its reach and reputation. Its malleable iron fittings became staples across the plumbing and industrial supply chain, shipping from Tioga County to customers across the country. At its height, Ward operated multiple distribution centers throughout the U.S. and Canada, while the Blossburg foundry remained the core of its operations, producing millions of fittings each year.
In 1989, Ward’s success drew international attention when Hitachi acquired the company. Ownership changed hands again over the years, but the Blossburg plant remained the center of operations. In January 2024, Ward was sold to ASC Engineered Solutions, just as the company celebrated its 100th anniversary. Locals marked the milestone with pride, reflecting on the foundry’s role as a backbone of Blossburg life.
That pride soon mixed with uncertainty. In early 2025, news spread that the Blossburg foundry might close by year’s end if no buyer could be found. The announcement shook the community. Ward had always been more than just a paycheck—it was a symbol of resilience, a reminder that industry could thrive in a small Northern Tier town.
By June, the fate of the foundry was sealed. The facility was sold to RytoriaCap, Inc., in partnership with ASC Engineered Solutions. The deal kept the foundry itself alive, but with one major change: Ward-branded products will no longer be manufactured in Blossburg. For the first time in more than a century, the Ward name, born and built in this town, will be stamped somewhere else.
“It’s hard to imagine Blossburg without Ward,” said one retired foundry worker. “That name has been part of this town for as long as I can remember.”
As Blossburg looks to the future, the echoes of Ward Manufacturing’s past still ring through the valley. From its founding in 1924 to its centennial in 2024, Ward was more than a factory—it was a lifeline, a community, and a symbol of small-town determination. Though the Ward brand has moved on, the story of the foundry and the people who built it will always belong to Blossburg.
RytoriaCap, Inc. will be starting a new chapter in Blossburg’s story and the story of the Foundry. Details are scarce with a lot of unknowns, but we will come back to this story in the future and see how the future unfolds.
Ward Through the Years
1924 – Ward Manufacturing founded by Joseph Patrick Ward in Blossburg.
1928 – Facilities double; Class 150 malleable fittings introduced.
1938 – New facility added for pipe unions.
1950s–1970s – Blossburg foundry anchors local economy, expands product lines.
1989 – Ward acquired by Hitachi.
2024 – Ward sold to ASC Engineered Solutions; 100th anniversary celebrated.
2025 – Foundry sold to RytoriaCap, Inc. Ward-branded products no longer made in Blossburg.
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