About Us

For 60 years, Vulcan has created innovative, high-quality products for the ever-evolving transportation industry. Vulcan equipment can be found in all modes of transportation, from rail cars to race car trailers and everything in between. Vulcan is committed to producing expertly designed products for all facets of transportation.

Our History

Deep Roots in Automobile Transportation

Vulcan Chain Corporation, established in 1959, sold chain and attachments to the trucking industry. By the mid-1960s Vulcan was the single largest distributor of tow chains in the US as the exclusive supplier to AAA auto club — the largest servicer and provider of towing services in the country. Situated on the northwest side of Detroit, Vulcan’s founder staked his claim as a national supplier.

The late 1960s brought the onset of mass automobile transportation by both rail and highway. Vulcan’s reputation as a problem solver in the tie down and towing industry brought new opportunity. Vulcan found its designs, ideas, and products incorporated in all modes of OEM automobile transportation.

To support the thousands of trailers and rail cars brought into service to deliver new vehicles, Vulcan’s founder designed and constructed the first chain assembly and link welding plant of its kind. The manufacturing plant eventually included chain and automated link welding equipment as well as a complete commercial sewing facility. The facility would eventually employ as many as 100 people and produce millions of tie down assemblies.

Vulcan Chain worked closely with automobile manufacturers and was involved in the original design of almost every car and truck frame hook on the market in the 1970s and 80s.

Over the next two decades, Vulcan became the primary supplier of automobile chain tie down systems to every major railroad and most trucking companies. Between 1990 and 2006 Vulcan manufactured over 90% of new specialized chain assemblies for auto transport trailer and rail car builders.

The First Strap Tie Down on a Truck and the Industry Changed Forever

In 1995 General Motors approved mass production of the world’s first all-electric vehicle, the EV1. One problem — the vehicle could not be transported conventionally. Its light frame had no holes and its underbody was covered with a plastic shield for aerodynamics. Once again the industry leader, Vulcan worked with GM logistical engineers and trailer manufacturers to design the first strap ever used on a commercial vehicle for OTR transport.

In 1997 Vulcan expanded its operation in Detroit to a 60,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility. Vulcan continued to perfect its manufacturing and marketing capabilities in its new space. Hundreds of unique products for towing and tie down, many of which are common place today, were first designed and tested by Vulcan.

In 2006 Vulcan sold all railroad product lines and began to concentrate solely on the end user trucking and retail consumer markets.

Vulcan’s history pioneering trucking and towing technology resulted in a team staffed with experts. Vulcan designs have been perfected over the better half of a century — experience no one can replicate.