National Forge Europe was set up in 2000 by the American firm National Forge Ltd. in order to acquire Mitchell Shackleton and Company Ltd. National Forge Ltd was a Pennsylvania-based company producing crankshafts, steel pipe molds, ordnance components, submarine propulsion shafting, and power generation rotors.

Ellwood acquired the assets of the National Forge business in 2003 and became Ellwood National Forge.