Partner Login 
OAKLAND, Calif. – Feeney, Inc., the originator of cable rail, joins its employees and customers in a celebration of its 75 years as a leading manufacturer of cable railing and other architectural products.
When Jim Feeney started Feeney Wire Rope & Rigging in an old soap factory on the edge of California’s San Francisco Bay in 1948, Feeney started to build its reputation as a company that provided quality rigging products and superior service. It quickly became one of the leading suppliers of custom rigging and hardware in the region.
Forty years later, Feeney introduced its CableRail line of architectural cables and fittings, in response to a new and growing interest by architects and builders for modern and unobtrusive railing infill products. Since 1983, the product lines and plans for future offerings have expanded, including DesignRail, the company’s railing assemblies that feature modular aluminum railing. Feeney’s outdoor living category, including stationary awnings and trellises, has also grown.
It’s not just the number of years, but the types of achievement within the years that Feeney’s President Katrina Ralston said keeps the family-owned company relevant and robust 75 years on.
“We started on the original cable railing when our founder established a traditional wire rope and rigging company following World War II and morphed into an architectural hardware company selling powder coated aluminum railing in the early 2000s,” Ralston said. “Our products evolved in the harsh conditions of maritime rigging, and we’ve continued to use quality materials to advance growth and modernization in the industry. It reminds us of where Feeney started and lets us know we are on the right path—that people like what we’re doing.”
Along the way, Feeney leaders and company products have won multiple industry awards for product innovation, such as Feeney DesignRailÒ Wood Grain Top Rail, which was a finalist for Best Outdoor Product at the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS). Feeney co-owners Katrina Ralston and Grissell Ralston have also repeatedly been acknowledged as top women in the building industry.
As well as being at the forefront of product innovation, Feeney has a history of leading the way in sustainable manufacturing and business. Katrina Ralston said Feeney’s sustainability efforts advance the company, the industry and Feeney customers.
“We recognize that future generations will benefit from what we do as a business now, which is why we design our products to be durable and have long use cycles. Feeney products do not require constant maintenance or harsh chemicals, and are built to remain beautiful for years,” Ralston said. “Our materials and products are also lightweight, using less raw material and allowing easier handling, lower shipping costs and less fuel consumption.”
Feeney’s architectural products are made from stainless steel and/or aluminum, which are among the most recycled materials in the world. Ralston said Feeney products contain preconsumer reclaimed content and can be recycled at metal reclamation sites.
In 2011, the Feeney manufacturing facility in Oakland built a new 380 panel (over 5,000 square foot) photovoltaic solar array that produces as much as 90 kilowatts direct current (DC) of clean, solar-generated electricity, which offsets the facility’s energy needs. The powder coating facility Feeney uses in Tekamah, Nebraska, features an advanced powder coating line that emits no volatile organic compounds or heavy metal waste, uses a non-chromium pretreatment wash, and reclaims 93% of the wastewater via a reverse-osmosis membrane filtration system.
Currently, Feeney is a member of United States Green Building Council, further supporting its environmental efforts.
“We want Feeney to be here in another 75 years and have another generation enjoying our products,” Ralston said. “It’s our job today to make sure that happens.”
###
About Feeney
Feeney, Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of quality, awe-inspiring architectural products since 1948. As the originator of cable railing infill in the US, Feeney is a leader in creating products that enhance where people live, work and play. Based in Oakland, California, family- owned Feeney produces CableRail stainless steel cable kits, Quick-Connect® auto-locking cable fittings, DesignRail® aluminum railing systems, stainless steel Architectural Rods, awning kits and the Trellis Collection of cable garden trellises.
Media Contact:
Feeney PR Team
