It’s been more than 65 years since Thorpe was first founded as a refractory contractor with strong in-house engineering capabilities in the Gulf Coast region of Texas. Over the decades our company has grown in many ways but our core mission has remained the same — to be a trusted partner for extending equipment lifecycles and increasing productivity for refineries, chemical, petrochemical and industrial plants through engineered solutions and services.
Today, our industry faces a new challenge with the growing initiative toward ESG and Energy Transition. The heightened focus on protecting and preserving the environment and the active role oil & gas, chemical and petrochemical producers can and should have is now at the forefront as we start 2022. We are entering a new era of energy and environmental stewardship.
Thorpe Plant Maintenance & Engineering has always been an industry leader in partnering with producers to enhance plant productivity through engineering empowered solutions for corrosion, refractory, scaffolding and insulation. As a premier provider of reoccurring specialty services related to the maintenance of critical infrastructure assets operating in high temperature and highly corrosive environments across a variety of industries, Thorpe is relied on by prominent leaders in oil & gas, chemical, petrochemical and heavy industrial. Our track record of success is well documented and unparalleled in the industry. Now, Thorpe is positioned to do the same in this critical movement to align energy intensive industries with broader environmental goals.
“Thorpe’s fundamental belief in stewardship and social responsibility, along with our strong commitment to provide client solutions with our unique, field-seasoned engineering and technical expertise, enable us to help our valued clients bring energy intensive industrial plants into harmony with the environment.” — Chad Fletcher, CEO, Thorpe
We’ve Been Doing Energy Transition for Decades
At Thorpe we have a belief statement that underpins everything we do. It says — “We believe good people, focused on common goals, who feel valued, included and empowered to contribute to solutions, can accomplish great things that enrich the lives of our people, their families and the communities in which they live.” This statement includes the concept of tackling the future with a positive, forward-looking “we can” attitude that is the fuel for innovative solutions to challenging issues and problems. Failure is not an option. This mindset is the heart of our company, and leads us to be good stewards of our team, our clients, the work we do and the environment.
More than thirty years ago, Thorpe began working with leaders in the hydrogen industry such as Praxair, Air Liquide, Linde and others who pioneered hydrogen reforming. This process is used by refineries for sulfur recovery primarily for diesel fuel as well as for the production of ammonia, methanol and other polymers. Thorpe was a key contractor due to our engineering empowered solutions and SRU expertise. Our experience and capabilities then, make us an even better partner today in the application of hydrogen as a clean fuel.
Another prime example of Thorpe’s alignment to energy transition and environmental sustainability is our work with the world’s first and largest industrial-scale carbon mineralization facility. Thorpe was central in the innovation of a new carbon capture technology that aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions at a plant capable of capturing up to 50,000 tons of CO2 from cement flue gas, transforming it into carbon-negative baking soda. Thorpe served as a specialty contractor for the project and was integral to the design, manufacture, installation, and testing of FRP pipe, headers, tanks, and vessels used in the pilot program.
Thorpe’s role as a trusted partner to these forward thinking companies has been instrumental in moving their businesses forward and reaching their goals. Providing value is foundational to engineered solutions where our DNA is about providing solutions and not just services. Value is defined by the client, so profoundly understanding client needs is the starting point. This is evidence of our natural alignment to stewardship of our clients and environmental preservation.
Now, with the major oil & gas, petrochemical and industrial producers making strong commitments towards energy transition and environmental preservation, Thorpe stands ready to be the trusted partner for plants in energy intensive industries nationwide. It is one thing to say that and another to do it as we have for decades. Thorpe backs up that commitment up with engineered solutions, turnkey services & project management, innovative applications, unparalleled service & technical expertise, safety and a track record of success. Thorpe can do that today, and is the right partner for your plant tomorrow and into the future. These critical components are why our customers say we are “vital” to their site operations. Let’s look at each in detail.
Commitment to Safety
Our first and most important company core value is our People. Our core value says “We deeply care about people — people are the lifeblood of our company! We take personal interest in the safety and well-being of our people, as well as growth and development to their fullest potential. We invest in our people.”
There is no greater commitment Thorpe can make than that of the safety of our team, our customers’ team and other contractors. We started the Brother & Sisters’ Keeper program to bring our commitment to safety to the forefront of our work everyday. This program starts with caring about people and doing whatever it takes to keep each other safe. Planning for safety is built into each project ensuring all employees are on board and is management’s focus to drive accident-free job sites and continual safety culture. Thorpe has been recognized for our level of engagement and leadership as we actively look out for the safety of others from a foundation of caring about people.
Engineering Empowered Solutions
Thorpe’s value to our customers is our services driven by deep in-house knowledge of mission critical equipment. Our combined capability of coordinating technical and engineering requirements, designing solutions, fabricating and providing required materials, and completing installations with experienced project management and field crews is what sets us apart. The result is better communication, lower overhead, shorter project duration, lower life cycle cost, and enhanced safety with improved reliability for maintenance, retrofit and capital projects.
The Thorpe team includes numerous skilled engineers in-house who specialize in engineering solutions and product design. We’re proud to employ an entire engineered products group that develops customized engineered products to solve any project challenge encountered. As a result of our team’s success in the engineered product space, we offer engineered products created in-house, proven to work. Thorpe’s in-house engineering expertise and complete product knowledge drive customer value and success as their maintenance and project partner.
Turnkey Services & Project Management
Thorpe provides a set of plant maintenance and engineering services that are unique to every other provider in the industry. How? Our dedication to creating a turnkey solution is unmatched, making it our specialty. When you choose to work with Thorpe, you gain the benefit of having one, single point of contact from start to finish. Following fabrication, we ship materials to the site with our highly-trained and qualified team to install. We’re dedicated to providing customers with conceptual design, master engineering, fabrication, delivery and installing—all on a controlled timeline. Our hands-on project management and field execution via highly skilled craftsman drives immense value for our customers.
Unmatched Commitment to Service
Another one of our core values is Service. At Thorpe, we say ‘service is our trademark!’ We are passionately committed to serving both external and internal customers. When we serve with excellence, we win trust and foster long-lasting relationships built on loyalty.
Part of being a trusted partner is always being there when our customers need us. Thorpe has locations across the Gulf Coast and when you call, we answer and then we respond. We have countless emails, letters and calls received from our customers thanking us for showing up within hours of their call to us. Because, we all know, that downtime is millions in lost production. Thorpe’s dedication to meeting our customers’ challenges and crises is unparalleled in the industry.
“For our company, we have found it is imperative that Thorpe have a seat at the maintenance planning table due to their expertise and solutions for our aged equipment.” — Job Title, Major Independent Oil & Natural Gas Producer
Our customers trust us. The highest safety, quality, productivity and customer service are what our customers expect, and Thorpe delivers. Whether it be corrosion and refractory services, engineering empowered solutions, scaffolding and insulation or turnkey project management services, Thorpe is ready to take on whatever challenge you’re facing.
Thorpe serves clients who are leading the way with technology development and other innovations that reduce emissions, consume or store CO2, produce lower carbon footprint products. For over twenty years we have been working to preserve our planet through our work. Now, we stand at the forefront of the energy transition movement for our industry.
You can count on Thorpe to be your trusted partner in energy transition and plant production, maintenance and safety.
Reach out to us today at 866-405-3726 and let’s talk about your plant maintenance challenges. Or learn more about Thorpe at ThorpeESG.com.