History
Stupp Bros., Inc., a fifth generation family-owned business, takes great pride in the critical role its Stupp Corporation Division plays in safely developing the energy infrastructure of the United States, and the Americas. Our pipe products are utilized primarily to transmit hydrocarbons for the energy needs of both industry and communities.
Stupp's commitment to its customers and the industry is evident by its history...
Stupp Corporation was established as Cal-Metal Pipe in 1952 to produce "invasion pipe" for the Korean War effort. This pipe supported the U. S. and Allied forces' amphibious operations on the Korean Peninsula. After the war, Stupp turned its attention to the growing energy infrastructure of the United States .
Between 1955 and 1957, Stupp Bros. spent more than $1 million for a new mill and plant facilities required to utilize electric resistance weld (ERW) technology necessary to produce custom steel line pipe to meet American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications for high pressure gas and oil transmission lines. The new ERW mill, which became operational in 1957, was capable of producing approximately 10,000 tons of pipe per month in sizes 6-5/8" OD through 16" OD.
In 1959 the company installed a Thermatool 140 KW High Frequency welder that enhanced production. In the high frequency electric weld process, the forming of steel coils into pipe is completed just prior to the welding phase. The company was the first domestic pipe producer to use such high frequency electric weld process and, in fact, it was partially responsible for its development. In 1960 Stupp Bros. acquired the interest of its partner in Cal-Metal and renamed the company, Stupp Corporation.
In September, 1967, the company purchased a Torrance 8-5/8" OD through 24" OD high frequency ERW pipe mill. Soon after, Stupp Bros. purchased 100 acres of land in the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, its current location. The new mill was fully operational in 1969 making Stupp Corporation the first mill to produce 24" ERW line pipe.
Other firsts for Stupp Corporation include being the first mill to produce 80' lengths, the first to ship 80' lengths of coated pipe, the first to produce grades X-65 and X-70 in 24" O.D. In 1993 we partnered with The Bayou Companies to construct a state of the art FBE coating plant that was matched to our high rate of pipe production. Bayou LLC is the most productive FBE coating plant in North America and it has the capability to provide I.D. flow efficiency lining and it can coat up to 42" O.D. large diameter pipe.
A $30 million upgrade was completed at Stupp's Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ERW facility in May 1997. Exciting next-generation technology and equipment as seen on our operations page (insert link) exhibits the company's commitment to reinvest and to remain the industry leader, both domestically and globally. This upgrade made Stupp the only North American mill to have continuous operating capability through 24" O.D.
The 2009 commissioning of our $80 million two step helical pipe mill was a hallmark event. Following on a litany of firsts, the Stupp family continued to be forward-looking pioneers with this addition to its arsenal of world class pipe making and coating technology in Baton Rouge. Responding to the needs of the market was only the beginning of the story. The two step spiral mill capability served to add a new dimension to the facility. This addition established Stupp as a factor not only in the U.S.A. but in the Western Hemisphere. Stupp was not only a significant factor in HFERW 24" OD and below, Stupp was a factor across a huge swath of API-5L pipe products. Stupp provides API-5L products to the market from 10" to 60" and compliments this with coating capabilities that were broadened as well.
The installation of the new spiral facility positions Stupp to cast a broad shadow across the globe. It raises the bar for all manufacturers of pipe, but especially those outside of the United States. Stupp is growing from a factor in North America to a factor in the world. This already commercially capable production facility will soon alter the history of the energy industry.
