Building Enclosure logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Building Enclosure logo
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
  • SECTIONS
    • Columns
    • Project Profiles
    • Trade Shows
    • Sponsor Insights
  • SYSTEM DESIGNS
    • Low-Slope Roofs
    • Pitched Roofs
    • Metal Roofing Materials
    • Waterproofing
    • Sustainability
    • Insulation
    • Exterior Claddings
    • Wall Systems
    • Building Envelope
  • BLOG
    • The BE Blog
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Quiz
    • Videos
    • Polls
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Newsletter
    • Photo Galleries
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Directory: Blue Book
    • Directory: Roofing Resource
  • PRODUCTS
  • TECHNICAL
    • Codes
      • Waterproofing
      • Roofing
    • Details
      • Waterproofing
      • Roofing
  • CONTINUING ED
  • ABOUT
    • Advertise
      • Editorial Calendar
    • Contact
    • eMag Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Breaking News

Metalwërks Celebrates 50 Years of Service

Breaking News Image #1
October 23, 2019

Metalwërks, a leading U.S. manufacturer of precision high performance metal plate exterior facade systems, integrated curtain wall components, and custom architectural features, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019. This year marks half a century of service to the architectural metals industry.

The company was founded in 1968 as “The Metal Sales & Service Company” (MSS) on behalf of Mr. Jean Maure Scharr, Director, and operations officially kicked off in the Spring of 1969 in Chadds Ford, PA. The original business was the sale of non-ferrous metal goods to fabricators and OEM companies in the Delaware Valley.

By 1973, the company had moved to Wilmington, DE, and shop equipment was added to begin shearing and forming operations. From there, operations took off, and the company became the distributor for Reynolds Metals Company roll-formed roofing and siding profiles in a variety of finishes and profiles. The outfit also started to offer cut-to-length siding, shop drawings and brake-formed trim packages.

Throughout the 70s, the team continued to expand, bringing new members on board to the drafting and fabrication departments, enhanced fabrication capabilities, and significant additions to their customer profile including power plant erectors, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Sun Ship and Penn Ship, The DuPont Company, and other heavy industrial accounts along the Delaware River in PA, NJ and DE.

Due to these opportunities and growth, by the early 80s the company added more welding and forming capabilities to enable the custom fabrication of aluminum and stainless-steel heavy gauge plate products. This shift laid the foundation of the modern Metalwërks products and systems available today.

At this time, Stephen Scharr entered the company in a full time sales and estimating role, targeting MD, DE and Central PA markets; Peter Scharr took on full-time sales and estimator duties, targeting Philadelphia Metro and Northeast PA accounts, and Paul Scharr stepped in to handle job cost, inventory and estimating, along with Southern NJ sales. The Metalwërks brand was also first conceived, and the company began publishing catalogs and promoting its own proprietary line of products.

In 1989 Jean and Betty Scharr officially retired to Florida, and the Scharr brothers officially took over ownership and management of Metal Sales & Service Inc: 2019 also marks a 30 year milestone under the current ownership.

From 1995 to 2000, the Kennett Square building where the company was housed expanded twice to accommodate business growth. Notable projects during these years included the Baltimore Convention Center, Neiman Marcus Flagship Stores at King of Prussia Mall in PA and Paramus, NJ,  The Penn State Research Park, and the first LEED® Certified™ Silver project in Pennsylvania —PNC Bank Operations Center in  2000.

Things developed quickly through the 1990s and early 2000s. In 1998, Arcwall™ 2510 was created to clad the Columbus International Airport and later the Reginald Lewis African American Museum in Baltimore, MD. This early iteration of the system evolved into Omniplate 2510 as it is known today. In 2003, the Metalwërks production facility expanded to Elkton, MD to create a larger space for multiple production lines. The following year, the company’s first website was launched.

Significant milestones were achieved over the next decade, with 2016 and 2017 seeing the entire production facility shifted to an expanded facility in Elkton, MD, and Metalwërks making a powerful move to become the only brand offered to customers, ceasing product distribution for other companies.

In 2016, a patent was filed for Metalwërks’ latest and most strikingly visual product, the Sculpted™ 3D line of metal products, which, along with its expanded expertise, industry knowledge, and talented team will take the company into the future and next 50 years of operations.

For more information, visit: www.metalwerksusa.com.

KEYWORDS: building façade curtain wall manufacturing metal

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

 

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • bar graph shows LEED v4/LEED v5/LEED v6 in various colors

    When Will LEED v4 / v4.1 and LEED v5 Expire?

    The latest version of the LEED rating system, LEED v5, is...
    Sustainability
    By: Daniel Overbey
  • Celebrating Women In AEC-2026

    Celebrating Women in The AEC Industry Part 1

    A round-up of women in the design, engineering and...
    Building Envelope
    By: Lindsay Lewis
  • KEE membrane application on a roof

    A Beginner’s Guide to Single-Ply Roofing Membranes

    While PVC and TPO appear extremely similar, the chemistry...
    Low-Slope Roofs
    By: Peter Gross
Manage My Account
  • Sign up for the Newsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Registration Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Building Enclosure audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Building Enclosure or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • HITT Construction headquarters
    Sponsored byBuilding Composites® LLC

    Pushing the Envelope

  • 2 construction workers and a DEXcell panel
    Sponsored byDEXcell Roof Boards

    Designing Low-Slope Roofs for Resilience

  • Bell Bank headquarters in Fargo, North Dakota
    Sponsored bySto Corp.

    Drained and Back-Ventilated Rainscreens vs Pressurized-Equalized Rainscreens

Popular Stories

graphic shows a building destoryed by tornados with information on the amount of torandos in 2026 in the US

Record-Breaking Tornado Activity in Illinois Signals New Challenges for Architects

Patient room doors with flexible privacy features widens possible uses within these spaces and improves patient comfort

Acoustics and Aesthetics: The Value of Integrated Opening Systems

Bombardier Global Manufacturing Center exterior

Industrial Buildings Abandon the Industrial Look Through IMPs

Building Enclosure Newsletter

BE Poll

Events

April 9, 2026

Strategies for High-Performance Below-Grade Waterproofing

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW ; 1 IIBEC CEH; 0.1 IACET CEU

On-Demand Designing a high-performance building enclosure requires more than just surface-level protection; it demands a rigorous, performance-based mastery of below-grade water and gas mitigation. This discussion will provide an expert-level analysis of below-grade waterproofing within the comprehensive framework of the high-performance building enclosure.

April 28, 2026

Roof Design Considerations That Prevent Installation Failures and Change Orders

Credit: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 IIBEC CEH; 0.1 ICC CEU

On-Demand This course provides visual examples of actual field conditions. Some good, some not so good; along with design suggestions that can cut installation costs and reduce construction change orders. Upon completion of this course, you will have a better understanding of the requirements the roofing contractor must meet to provide the specified roofing system warranty, and long-term value to the owner.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Plaster and Drywall Assemblies Manual

Plaster and Drywall Assemblies Manual

This is a comprehensive manual that goes beyond codes and standards, providing expert guidance in design, detailing, material selection and troubleshooting for plaster and drywall.

See More Products

Related Articles

  • 2.jpg

    National Institute of Building Sciences Celebrates 50 Years of Service to the Nation

    See More
  • Valspar celebrates 50 Years of Fluropon

    See More
  • LRS Architects logo

    LRS Architects Celebrates 50 Years of Design Impact

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • ecology.jpg

    Architecture and Systems Ecology: Thermodynamic Principles of Environmental Building Design, in three parts

  • 41G-JcZWT+L._SX342_SY445_.jpg

    The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design, 7th Edition

  • 71lmKx8brKL._SY385_.jpg

    A Visual Dictionary of Architecture, 2nd Edition

See More Products
×

Enhance your expertise with unparalleled insights.

Join thousands of building professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing