History

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With predecessor entities dating back to 1906, THORPE was incorporated in Houston, Texas as
J T Thorpe Company in 1954. Through the years THORPE has grown and reconfigured as they became a premier engineering and construction provider of refractory and acid resistant masonry linings as well as specialty insulation systems. The following is a timeline of significant events in the development of the THORPE Engineering and Construction Group.

  • 1954 – Incorporated in Texas as J T Thorpe Company headquartered in Houston, Texas
  • 1961 – J T Thorpe Company opens construction office in Beaumont, Texas
  • 1973 – J T Thorpe Company opens office in Gonzales (Baton Rouge area), Louisiana
  • 1975 – Thorpe patents a new Kiln Rig design for installing brick in horizontal cylindrical equipment
  • 1976 – The Company introduces its patented Z-BLOK™ Ceramic Fiber Module System
  • 1983 – Thorpe introduces its patented Z-BLOK™ II Ceramic Fiber Module System
  • 1983 – Through a strategic reorganization, the Company establishes Thorpe Corporation as the management holding company for J T Thorpe Company and other wholly owned subsidiaries
  • 1984 – Thorpe Corporation purchases Sunbelt Constructors. Sunbelt Constructors commences operations and J T Thorpe Company ceases operations in Gonzales (Baton Rouge area), Louisiana
  • 1997 – Thorpe Corporation purchases Leacon, Inc. in Houston, Texas. Leacon, Inc. merges with Sunbelt Constructors and is named Leacon-Sunbelt, Inc
  • 2010 – Leacon-Sunbelt, Inc. name changed to Thorpe-Sunbelt, Inc. New Corporate logos/identities for all Thorpe companies
  • 2011 – Thorpe Engineering and Construction Group name changed to Thorpe Specialty Services Corporation
  • 2011 – Thorpe International Services, Inc. formed to coordinate our international efforts.
  • 2011 – Thorpe-Sunbelt acquires Blagrave & Duffy in Houston, Texas extending Thorpe’s services into the steel industry.
  • 2013 – Thorpe-Sunbelt acquires Empire Refractory Specialists, Inc. in Hueytown (Birmingham), Alabama. Empire extends Thorpe’s historic refractory services while adding additional rotary kiln capabilities specializing in the Lime, Cement and Pulp & Paper markets.