Dean Lally L.P.’s history dates back more than seventy-five years…   

Thomas F. Lally founded the Lally Bros. Company in 1933.  His company specialized in fabricating the concrete filled steel “Lally” columns at his plant in Chicago, IL.  His company later pioneered and promoted the use of square and rectangular steel columns in building construction.  This provided the architectural community with a new tool for contemporary building design.  The column’s slim profile, and smooth steel surface received nation-wide acceptance in the building industry.  Through the early years, the concrete filled building columns proved to be stronger and more fire resistant than conventional rolled beam columns.  This was demonstrated through impartial laboratory testing, as well as experience gained from large conflagrations. 

The Lally brothers saw that architects and engineers needed a product that had the strength and beauty of their painted steel column, but could also provide a certified fire resistance rating.  In the late 1950’s, after extensive research and testing, the Lally Bros. Company developed the very first prefabricated fireproofed steel column.  This new column was the first of its type to receive Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc. approval and labeling.  The Lally brothers named this new column FIRE-TROL.  They later formed the FIRE-TROL Corporation in 1961 to market and manufacture their new column design.  They were the first company able to offer pre-fireproofed columns that arrived at the jobsite ready to erect.  Their smooth, steel surface, along with the Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc. symbol of quality and safety made them perfect for use where columns were exposed and needed a certified fire rating.  The architectural community adopted these columns immediately, and have incorporated them into their designs ever since.     

Today the Lally Bros. Company is known as Dean Lally L.P.  Our columns have been used in thousands of building and structures throughout the United States.  Still in the Chicago area, we manufacture the FIRE-TROL columns using the latest construction and material standards.   We are column specialists.  Our experience enables us to offer you the maximum in service as well as the utmost in a quality product.