Often, a new year causes us to look back at some of our fondest memories of years passed. It’s no different here at Thomas Industrial Coatings. Bridge painting has played a key role in our company since we were incorporated in 1991. In fact, many of the milestones in Thomas Industrial Coating’s proud history can be measured in bridge painting contracts. So, with 2013 in the books, we’d like to take a look back at some of our milestone bridge projects.
In 1994, just three years after we incorporated, we landed what was our largest project to date. It was a $12.8 million joint venture operation on the I-70 bridge over the Missouri River in Rocheport, Missouri. The four-lane, continuous truss bridge was originally constructed in 1960 and in need of renovation. By this time, Thomas Industrial Coatings was becoming a major player in bridge painting, and we were gaining momentum.
In 2006, it was another bridge painting project breaking size records for our company. We won a $16.2 million contract on the Huey P. Long widening project outside of New Orleans. The bridge, originally opened in 1940, was in dire need of some TLC from a number of contractors and Thomas Industrial Coatings was happy to undertake the coatings portion of the job. We couldn’t be more proud of the way our crews performed in the bayou, winning an award and completing even more safety training.
In 2012, we took the expertise we had gained from already more than 20 years of bridge painting back to our hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. A St. Louis icon was in need of lead abatement and protective coating a full 138 after it was first built. The Eads Renovation Project was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, providing jobs in a tough economy and adding even more to historical significance to the job.
Looking back on at how Thomas Industrial Coatings has grown since we first took to painting, there’s a bridge painting job at nearly every milestone. We’ve tested our mettle on small brides, larger ones and eventually, historically significant ones. The work we’ve done above the nation’s rivers and waterways brings us a touch of nostalgic pride, Thomas Pride.
