James W. Calvert, a decorated veteran of the First World War and founder of the company, served in France. After sustaining a bullet wound that left him blind, he attended the Maryland School for the Blind.

During his time at the Maryland School for the Blind, James recovered partial use of his eyesight, and decided to start several small businesses. He established the last of the businesses, J W Calvert Mfg Co, in 1951 when he was 56 years old.

After establishing the business, James Calvert saw the potential for an aluminum railing that wouldn't rust. Wearing thick glasses that were supplemented with a large magnifying glass, he experimented with several designs until he developed the right one. There have been many changes to the design, such as the black and white paint and the strengthening components, but the basics remain.

Today, our company manufactures maintenance-free black or white aluminum railings. Each is custom assembled and installed on site for a precision fit.