Sustaining a British engineering empire: Dorman Long's Chromador steel and Shanghai's vertical cityscape, 1910s–1930s

This paper examines the role of Chromador steel, a high-strength structural steel developed by the British manufacturer Dorman Long & Co., in shaping the architecture of Shanghai during the early twentieth century. As a major structural material, Chromador steel is examined less in existing scholarship. Drawing upon extensive archival sources, the study aims to build up narratives from the perspective of construction history and economic history. It begins by tracing Dorman Long's transnational expansion and analysing the technical properties of Chromador steel. It then explores the introduction of the material into Shanghai through British enterprise groups and Chinese agents, situating this process within the competitive dynamics among American and European industries. Through the analysis of iconic steel-frame structures designed by Palmer & Turner, this research highlights how Chromador steel enabled significant advances in local construction practices and pushed forward architectural regulations within Shanghai's International Settlement. Additionally, the study positions Shanghai's adoption of Chromador steel within global narratives of technological modernisation, competitive commercial developments, and colonial practices. By examining the colonial mindset, corporate decision-making process, and branding strategies underlying Dorman Long's operations, the analysis critically reflects efforts to sustain what the British company envisioned as an engineering empire in a turbulent global environment. Ultimately, this research enriches ongoing discussions on building materials and challenges dualistic, linear perspectives regarding the transfer, and localisation of so-called Western engineering innovations.