While a variety of companies competed with Fiber Conduit Co., including American (East Chicago, Ill), J–M Fibre Conduit (Lockport, NY), Bermico (Brown Co. of Berlin, NH), and American (Fulton, NY), it was by far and away the industry leader in bituminized fiber conduit piping throughout the early 20th century and beyond. With cast iron in short supply during World War II demand sharply increased with the need for electrical conduit for use in new airfields and military bases. In 1948, the name of the Fiber Conduit Company was changed to the Orangeburg Manufacturing Company. During the postwar housing boom, the demand for cheap housing materials was at an all-time high and available drainage materials were scarce. Orangeburg Manufacturing produced a thicker-walled centrifugally-laminated pipe, sturdier for sewer and drain uses, which became known simply as "Orangeburg pipe".