In 1872, Robert Hadfield (Snr), who had been involved in local government work, began his own steel casting business on a site close by the River Don, off Newhall Road, Attercliffe. Success was assured when he became able to produce materials and castings which had previously to be imported from France. By the mid-1890s, with work at high levels the company needed to expand from their restrictive site and bought acres (m²) of land in Tinsley. On this they built a new works, known as East Hecla Works which opened in 1897.