Established in 1884, The STEBBINS Engineering and Manufacturing Company is a global leader and pioneer in the engineering, supply, and installation of chemical resistant linings and construction technologies. The company embarked on its remarkable journey when H. W. Stebbins, born to a paper-making family in England, formed a partnership with Howard Friend, an American paper-maker. The duo joined forces to provide a consulting service to design and make apparatus for the pulp and paper industry. Today, STEBBINS has made its mark in the industry with its fully integrated offerings for the construction of chemical-resistant linings. “Unlike our competitors, we not only have an in-house engineering team but also the capability to produce and ship our own materials,” notes Robert R Gefell, General Manager at The STEBBINS Engineering and Manufacturing Company.

While the pandemic’s impact on supply chains has triggered unprecedented changes in the paper and pulp manufacturing process, STEBBINS has not only fared well through the crisis but also turned the situation to its advantage. The company’s ability to manufacture materials for construction in-house has helped it stay ahead of its competitors. “For instance, the supply chain challenges have caused a significant shortage of resin across the country, providing us an opportunity to utilize masonry structures and linings, rather than fiberglass. Our competitors who utilize the same methods for construction and do not manufacture their own materials, are facing extreme difficulties in procurement,” says Gefell.

Although the pandemic has made it challenging to deliver services, STEBBINS’ extensive field crews and the ability to quickly mobilize its teams have enabled it to react to customer needs promptly on multiple occasions, especially during emergencies. For instance, when an 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile in February 2010, one of STEBBINS’ clients suffered near-catastrophic damage to several of their tanks. STEBBINS was called in to rebuild several of the mild steel/masonry-lined tanks.

On the contrary, the tanks manufactured by STEBBINS were built using structurally reinforced concrete and were nearly undamaged by the earthquake. The company’s ability to expeditiously mobilize its field resources helped transport mortars and ceramics manufactured by STEBBINS from North America to Chile in less than a month.

When it comes to client engagement, STEBBINS believes it is always best to get involved in the process as early as possible. The company’s sales and engineering staff lead the effort to integrate their knowledge and approach to identify the best solution for addressing the challenges faced by the client. “When a client approaches us with an objective, our research and development division reviews the process and delivers a solution that no one else is capable of,” adds Gefell. The company’s dedicated research and development team leverages a fully equipped lab for material testing and constantly works on testing and development of materials for the future.

Backed by over 135 years of experience in the paper and pulp industry, STEBBINS delivers a unique combination of experience and expertise to its clients. The company has played a significant role in developing the lining specifications for the industry and competed with multiple firms over the years. By acquiring some of its competitors, STEBBINS has expanded its archives to include between 70 and 80 percent of the design drawings for tanks and its critical engineering information, of tanks built over a century ago. “In some cases, the customer may not have the engineering drawings for their tanks, but we do. The sheer volume of information we possess, both from an engineering standpoint and hard copy blueprints, sets us apart from our competitors,” remarks Gefell. Currently, the company is in the process of digitizing this data to store it safely for all future purposes.

Emerging from the paper and pulp industry, STEBBINS has grown significantly and expanded its business into the metals and minerals industry, power industry, and chemical plant industry. As more and more paper mills transition toward recycling and packaging products, STEBBINS is poised to assist its clients as they repurpose their tanks and evolve with the changing trends.