Primary Job Title Founder Primary Organization Penna Flame Industries
Location Zelienople, Pennsylvania, United States Regions Great Lakes, Northeastern US Gender Male
Penna Flame Industries founded in 1968 by Garrett D. Orr, Sr., and his wife Mary Patricia (Pat) to provide flame hardening services to the growing steel industry. Garrett chose the Zelienople, PA, site because it was centrally located between Pittsburgh, PA, and Cleveland, OH, which was then heavily into steel manufacturing.
Garrett D. Orr grew up
in Erie, Pennsylvania, and attended Cathedral Preparatory School. In his senior year, he lettered in five sports while maintaining high honors and holding the position of vice president of his class. Upon graduation from high school, Garrett studied Business at Duquesne University where he played football, attending classes during the day and working in the evenings. It was at Duquesne where he met Mary Patricia, whom he married in 1951. He graduated from Duquesne University in 1952.
After college Garrett worked in the retail shoe industry. He was also employed as a sales representative for a foundry and was involved in other steel-related industries. Through this experience, he recognized the need for flame hardening in the steel industry and in 1968, at the age of 39, founded Pennsylvania Flame Hardening. The groundbreaking took place on April 1, 1968.
