About Us

Shanko was founded in 1896, during an era when American cities were rebuilding after devastating fires. Chicago. Boston. San Francisco. These tragedies drove demand for fireproof building materials; and pressed metal ceilings emerged as the elegant solution.
Unlike flammable plaster and wood, metal panels offered genuine fire resistance while delivering the ornate detail that defined architectural ambition at the turn of the century. Shanko became part of that movement, using hand-carved steel dies to press intricate patterns that would grace hotels, theaters, saloons, and grand residences across the country.
By the Roaring Twenties, pressed tin had reached its cultural peak; synonymous with style, safety, and American manufacturing ingenuity.

The Plates That Define Us

What makes Shanko different isn't just longevity. It's authenticity.
We still manufacture using original embossing plates; hand-carved steel dies from the early 1900s that have remained in continuous production for over a century. These aren't reproductions or digital recreations. They're the actual tools that shaped the ceilings America fell in love with generations ago.
Today's competitors use plates manufactured overseas, stamped quickly and lacking both the physical depth and historical integrity that define genuine pressed tin. We've never compromised. The relief you see in a Shanko panel is the same sculptural detail a craftsman carved by hand before World War I.

Old Craft, New Relevance

What was once sold as fireproof innovation is now valued for different reasons: sustainability, authenticity, and timeless design. We manufacture every panel from 100% recycled tin, right here in America; proof that heritage and environmental responsibility aren't mutually exclusive.
As the company transitions to its next generation of leadership, our commitment remains unchanged. The same plates. The same process. The same quality that's made Shanko the most trusted name in authentic metal ceilings for over 125 years.

Why It Matters

In a market flooded with overseas reproductions and printed imitations, we're still doing it the way it was meant to be done. Hand-carved dies. American manufacturing. Materials with integrity.