About Us
A Name in the Industry
For Over 80 Years
At the age of 13, Tom Brown took over the James Brown Feed and Grain Co. after his father’s death in 1915. After a fire destroyed the business, Tom was forced to find another job. “The Brown” was first introduced to the construction industry when Tom landed at the Duncan and Porter Company, where he became interested in the sale of industrial limestone. He went on to start several businesses of his own with the experience he gained at Duncan and Porter.
The Tom Brown Legacy
Is Born
Tom Brown, Inc was formally incorporated in 1946 and was rapidly expanding with the addition of many surrogate companies – Tom Brown Industrial Supply, Lanz Brick, Tom Brown Mill and Mine Supply, Brown Dettling Supply Company, and General Concrete Units. Corp.
Don Brown joined the company in 1949 and General Concrete Units became his focus. He took it from a concrete block provider to a major manufacturer of architectural precast concrete. St. Martin’s Hall at Duquesne University and Litchfield Towers at the University of Pittsburgh are celebrated as GCU’s first two major projects.
As a precast concrete provider, Don became exposed to the need for high-performance sealants and caulking materials. Tom Brown Inc became a distributor of GE Silicone, Vulkem and Sonneborn Sealants to service the industry.
THE PRODUCTS YOU NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE
Though its products may have changed, the company’s expertise within the construction and building industry remains unmatched. Headed by Brendan Brown, TBI today focuses primarily on tape and gasket manufacture and converting, sealants, caulking, and waterproofing. TBI provides tape conversion for both Norton (Saint-Gobain) and 3M, in addition to a variety of other industry leaders.
THE TOM BROWN LEGACY IS BORN
Tom Brown, Inc. was formally incorporated in 1946 and was rapidly expanding with the addition of many surrogate companies – Tom Brown Industrial Supply, Lanz Brick, Tom Brown Mill and Mine Supply, Brown Dettling Supply Company, and General Concrete Units. Corp.
Don Brown joined the company in 1949 and General Concrete Units became his focus. He took it from a concrete block provider to a major manufacturer of architectural precast concrete. St. Martin’s Hall at Duquesne University and Litchfield Towers at the University of Pittsburgh are celebrated as GCU’s first two major projects.
As a precast concrete provider, Don became exposed to the need for high-performance sealants and caulking materials. Tom Brown Inc. became a distributor of GE Silicone, Vulkem and Sonneborn Sealants to service the industry.
ADDING A NEW BRAND TO THE BROWN FAMILY
In 2013, Tom Brown Inc, rebranded its construction supply business to BK Brown Construction Products and currently resides in Pittsburgh’s North Shore as of 2015. Owned and operated by Brendan Brown, the great-great-grandson of Tom Brown, BK Brown offers a wide array of specialty construction materials for complete building envelope solutions — focusing in commercial waterproofing, restoration, glass and glazing, and OEM manufacturing, as well as bridge, power, and civil infrastructure supplies.