The commitment to our artistry began in 1931.
This is our journey, 90+ years in the making.
A trade carried across an ocean.
A standard that remains unchanged.
In 1931, Max Cohen arrived in West Philadelphia from Ukraine carrying a trade he earned through formal apprenticeship: blacksmithing, one of the few crafts permitted to him in the country he left behind. He opened a small iron repair shop at 40th and Westminster, and built a life from the work of his hands.
What began as a repair and fabrication shop deepened over decades into something more considered. In the early 1970s, seeing an opportunity in the market, the Cohen family decided to manufacture its first spiral staircase.
The instinct to build our own product, rather than broker someone else’s creation, has defined our entire philosophy and approach since. We design, engineer, machine, weld, fabricate, and finish every staircase in our 150,000 sqft facility in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Our team of designers, CNC operators, welders, and painters have spent their careers understanding and improving our product.
In an industry that has largely traded quality for volume over time, we have remained committed to keeping every step of the process in-house. We choose our materials for their longevity and the way they age, and treat every process improvement as an opportunity to make the end product better, not cheaper.
Four generations of the Cohen family have owned and operated this business, and the principles Max Cohen set in that first shop, founded on dedication, artistry, and uncompromising standards, are the same ones we hold today.
Makers at the forefront of every step
Every person you talk to at Iron Shop has a hand in the work. Our sales and operations team sits alongside the designers, engineers, and fabricators building each staircase, so the answers you get come from firsthand knowledge.
The leadership team
Allen Cohen
A third-generation member of the company, Allen Cohen became President in 2007 and has seen the company grow from a 10-person production floor to more than 200 designers, engineers, and fabricators. Allen grew up working alongside Philip Cohen on the fundamentals of the trade. Allen has led the company through an ever-changing marketplace with consistent growth and a commitment to excellence.
Team Member Details
ROLE
President, Iron Shop
GENERATION
Third
EDUCATION
St. Joseph’s University - Business & Psychology
John Nerone
Trained formally as an engineer, John has more than 15 years of experience in the design, project management, and production of high-quality facade systems. John works directly with clients and design teams to keep projects on schedule. As Director of Rampart Facade Systems, John leads a team that spans operations, design and engineering, manufacturing, and construction services.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Director, Rampart Facade Systems
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Michigan Technical University - B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Alyssa Lingerfelt
Alyssa is trained as an artist and fabricator at Pratt Institute for metal sculpture and serves as Coatings Manager at M. Cohen and Sons. Raised in a family of seamstresses and mechanics in suburban Detroit, she learned welding and glassblowing before earning her degree. Alyssa leads the three departments that finish every product: patina, powder-coat, and liquid paint. Here, aesthetics are treated as the foundation rather than an afterthought.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Coatings Manager, M. Cohen and Sons
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Pratt Institute - BFA, Sculpture and Hunter College - Psychology
Carolyn Searles
As Production Manager, Carolyn directions production planning, manages fabrication teams, and oversees fulfillment and shipping operations. Carolyn’s attention to detail keeps every project on schedule and every product to the same standard before it leaves the shop floor.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Production Manager, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Temple University - BA, Speech-Language Pathology
Allen Cohen
A third-generation member of the company, Allen Cohen became President in 2007 and has seen the company grow from a 10-person production floor to more than 200 designers, engineers, and fabricators. Allen grew up working alongside Philip Cohen on the fundamentals of the trade. Allen has led the company through an ever-changing marketplace with consistent growth and a commitment to excellence.
Team Member Details
ROLE
President, Iron Shop
GENERATION
Third
EDUCATION
St. Joseph’s University - Business & Psychology
John Nerone
Trained formally as an engineer, John has more than 15 years of experience in the design, project management, and production of high-quality facade systems. John works directly with clients and design teams to keep projects on schedule. As Director of Rampart Facade Systems, John leads a team that spans operations, design and engineering, manufacturing, and construction services.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Director, Rampart Facade Systems
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Michigan Technical University - B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Alyssa Lingerfelt
Alyssa is trained as an artist and fabricator at Pratt Institute for metal sculpture and serves as Coatings Manager at M. Cohen and Sons. Raised in a family of seamstresses and mechanics in suburban Detroit, she learned welding and glassblowing before earning her degree. Alyssa leads the three departments that finish every product: patina, powder-coat, and liquid paint. Here, aesthetics are treated as the foundation rather than an afterthought.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Coatings Manager, M. Cohen and Sons
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Pratt Institute - BFA, Sculpture and Hunter College - Psychology
Carolyn Searles
As Production Manager, Carolyn directions production planning, manages fabrication teams, and oversees fulfillment and shipping operations. Carolyn’s attention to detail keeps every project on schedule and every product to the same standard before it leaves the shop floor.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Production Manager, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
Temple University - BA, Speech-Language Pathology
The sales and operations team
Steven Cohen
Steven has spent 40 years working across nearly every facet of the business, from the woodshop, shipping floor, customer service operations, and spiral design itself before landing on the sales team. This path has given him a working knowledge of the product from the ground up. As Senior Account Executive, Steven brings a depth of experience to every customer he works with. Outside the shop, he rides his Harley and plays ice hockey.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
Third
Sean Donohue
Sean has 15 years of experience training and mentoring sales teams. He’s spent the last five years as Senior Sales Manager with us, pairing his interest in education with a hands-on approach to coaching. Sean leads sales initiatives across the team, working to drive performance and customer satisfaction in a competitive market. Outside the office, he’s usually chasing a golf ball or coaching youth sports in the area.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
West Chester University - BA, American History
Brian Wasser
Brian has more than 15 years of experience in both inside and outside sales. He works directly with homeowners, contractors, and architects, guiding each project from the first conversation through design and quote delivery. When he’s not at work, Brian’s usually on the golf course, out fishing, or catching a game. Sports aren’t far behind whatever else he’s doing.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Sales Representative, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
Steven Cohen
Steven has spent 40 years working across nearly every facet of the business, from the woodshop, shipping floor, customer service operations, and spiral design itself before landing on the sales team. This path has given him a working knowledge of the product from the ground up. As Senior Account Executive, Steven brings a depth of experience to every customer he works with. Outside the shop, he rides his Harley and plays ice hockey.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
Third
Sean Donohue
Sean has 15 years of experience training and mentoring sales teams. He’s spent the last five years as Senior Sales Manager with us, pairing his interest in education with a hands-on approach to coaching. Sean leads sales initiatives across the team, working to drive performance and customer satisfaction in a competitive market. Outside the office, he’s usually chasing a golf ball or coaching youth sports in the area.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
West Chester University - BA, American History
Brian Wasser
Brian has more than 15 years of experience in both inside and outside sales. He works directly with homeowners, contractors, and architects, guiding each project from the first conversation through design and quote delivery. When he’s not at work, Brian’s usually on the golf course, out fishing, or catching a game. Sports aren’t far behind whatever else he’s doing.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Sales Representative, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
Steven Cohen
Steven has spent 40 years working across nearly every facet of the business, from the woodshop, shipping floor, customer service operations, and spiral design itself before landing on the sales team. This path has given him a working knowledge of the product from the ground up. As Senior Account Executive, Steven brings a depth of experience to every customer he works with. Outside the shop, he rides his Harley and plays ice hockey.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
Third
Sean Donohue
Sean has 15 years of experience training and mentoring sales teams. He’s spent the last five years as Senior Sales Manager with us, pairing his interest in education with a hands-on approach to coaching. Sean leads sales initiatives across the team, working to drive performance and customer satisfaction in a competitive market. Outside the office, he’s usually chasing a golf ball or coaching youth sports in the area.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Senior Account Executive, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave
EDUCATION
West Chester University - BA, American History
Brian Wasser
Brian has more than 15 years of experience in both inside and outside sales. He works directly with homeowners, contractors, and architects, guiding each project from the first conversation through design and quote delivery. When he’s not at work, Brian’s usually on the golf course, out fishing, or catching a game. Sports aren’t far behind whatever else he’s doing.
Team Member Details
ROLE
Sales Representative, Iron Shop
GENERATION
New Wave