What Thompson Industrial Services does

Thompson Industrial Services is a Sumter, South Carolina-based industrial cleaning and maintenance services company founded in 1986 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) following an August 2023 acquisition. The company provides project-based industrial cleaning services across four primary verticals: Pulp & Paper, Metals/Alloys/Mining, Power Generation, and Oil & Gas, with an operational footprint concentrated in the Southeast and Central United States. Services span hydroblasting and vacuum work, chemical cleaning, tank cleaning with vapor control, HRSG off-line cleaning, lifecycle support (construction cleaning through decommissioning), and a portfolio of specialty solutions including dry ice blasting, sponge blasting, combustible dust remediation, in-situ SCR catalyst cleaning, industrial drone inspections, and coronavirus disinfecting services. The company's differentiated offerings center on two proprietary technologies — FINFOAM, a foam-based chemical cleaning solution, and EPIC HRSG off-line cleaning — supported by a highly automated hydroblasting fleet.

The business model is professional services delivered under custom, quote-based, project-priced contracts, typically structured as multi-year engagements with industrial enterprise customers. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting plant operators and outage coordinators, with single-source accountability from planning and scheduling through execution and completion. Revenue is generated through planned maintenance work, outage and turnaround (TAR) support, and event-based cleaning projects. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by scope, equipment requirements, and site conditions. Headcount is in the 501-1,000 range, and prior to the Clean Harbors acquisition the company was backed by Five Points Capital and MSouth Equity Partners through growth-equity rounds in 2006, 2010, and 2014.

Competitive positioning rests on a combination of proprietary chemistry and equipment (FINFOAM, EPIC HRSG), capital-intensive automated hydroblasting capabilities, a safety-driven operating culture with dedicated personnel and behavioral training programs, and a lifecycle service model that embeds the company across the full asset life of customer facilities. The Clean Harbors acquisition is the most significant recent strategic event and positions Thompson within a larger North American environmental and industrial services platform, with potential to accelerate geographic reach, cross-sell complementary services, and integrate digital and predictive capabilities over time.

Name

Thompson Industrial Services

Legal name

Thompson Industrial Services

Website

https://thompsonindustrialservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Thompson Industrial Services is a private industrial cleaning and maintenance provider serving Pulp & Paper, Metals/Mining, Power Generation, and Oil & Gas customers across the Southeast and Central US; it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clean Harbors following a 2023 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cleaning Services

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Cleaning & Decontamination (Hydroblasting/Vacuum/Confined Space) (IMAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Vacuum & Tank Cleaning Services (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAL), Industrial Cleaning & Decontamination (Tank/Vessel/Confined Space) (IMAIAGAE), Specialty Deep Cleaning (Duct/Kitchen Exhaust/Pressure Washing) (IMAIADAN)

Keywords

• Industrial cleaning services
• Hydroblasting services
• Chemical cleaning solutions
• Tank cleaning services
• Industrial maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sumter

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Cleaning Services: Project-based industrial cleaning services including hydroblasting, chemical cleaning, tank cleaning, and specialty solutions. Revenue generated through direct client contracts for planned maintenance, outage support, and event-based cleaning projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Thompson Industrial Services provides specialized industrial cleaning and maintenance services to heavy-industry facilities, including hydroblasting, vacuuming, chemical cleaning with proprietary FINFOAM, tank cleaning, lifecycle support (construction cleaning through decommissioning), and specialty solutions such as dry ice blasting, sponge blasting, industrial drone inspections, and EPIC HRSG off-line cleaning. The company serves Pulp & Paper, Metals/Alloys/Mining, Power Generation, and Oil & Gas facilities across the Southeast and Central US with single-source project accountability.

Product overview

Thompson Industrial Services is an industrial cleaning and maintenance services company offering a broad portfolio of specialty services organized into four main categories: Hydroblast, Vacuum & Ultra High-Volume Hydroblasting (featuring automated hydroblasting, boiler tube cleaning, ultra high-pressure cutting, and wet/dry vacuuming); Chemical Cleaning & FINFOAM (a proprietary foam-based cleaning product); Lifecycle Service Solutions (spanning construction cleaning through decommissioning); and Specialty & Custom Solutions (including dry ice blasting, industrial drone inspections, sponge blasting, tank cleaning, and the EPIC HRSG off-line cleaning system). The company serves markets including Pulp & Paper, Metals/Alloys/Mining, Power Generation, and Oil & Gas across the Southeast and Central US. Thompson Industrial Services was acquired by Clean Harbors in 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FINFOAM: A chemical cleaning solution offered as part of Thompson Industrial Services' chemical cleaning services.

Products and services

• Hydroblast, Vacuum & Ultra High-Volume Hydroblasting Comprehensive hydroblasting and vacuum services for industrial facilities, including automated hydroblasting, boiler tube cleaning, ultra high-pressure hydroblasting and cutting, pneumatic and hydro-vacuum excavation, and wet/dry vacuuming for industrial clients in Pulp & Paper, Power Generation, Oil & Gas, and related sectors.
• Chemical Cleaning & FINFOAM Chemical cleaning service line featuring the proprietary FINFOAM foam-based chemical cleaning solution and industrial chemical cleaning offerings for process equipment, vessels, and piping at industrial plants.
• FINFOAM Proprietary foam-based chemical cleaning solution sold and deployed as part of Thompson's chemical cleaning services for industrial process equipment.
• Lifecycle Service Solutions End-to-end industrial facility support across the asset lifecycle, including construction cleaning support, pre-commissioning cleaning, daily maintenance support, event-based maintenance, plant outages, turnarounds (TARs), and decommissioning activities for industrial clients.
• Specialty & Custom Solutions Specialized industrial services covering combustible dust remediation, dry ice blasting, industrial drone inspections, in-situ SCR catalyst cleaning, sponge blasting, tank cleaning with vapor control, EPIC HRSG off-line cleaning, and coronavirus disinfecting services for industrial facilities.
• Tank Cleaning & Vapor Control Specialized tank cleaning services combined with vapor control for industrial storage infrastructure, primarily serving Oil & Gas and chemical facility clients.
• EPIC HRSG Off-line Cleaning Proprietary off-line cleaning service for Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs) used in power generation facilities, employing the EPIC cleaning system.
• Industrial Drone Inspections Remote visual inspection service for industrial facilities using industrial-grade drones, designed to access hard-to-reach or hazardous areas safely.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: Parent company of Thompson Industrial Services since 2023. Clean Harbors is the largest environmental and industrial services provider in North America, offering overlapping industrial cleaning, hydroblasting, vacuum, and chemical cleaning services across all major US regions and verticals.
• Veolia North America: Veolia's industrial services division provides industrial cleaning, tank cleaning, hazardous waste management, and chemical cleaning across the same Pulp & Paper, Power, Metals, and Oil & Gas verticals as Thompson, with national coverage and broader environmental services portfolio.
• Heritage Environmental Services: Major North American environmental and industrial services provider offering hazardous waste management, industrial cleaning, and chemical services with overlapping customer base in refining, chemicals, and manufacturing.
• Stericycle: National environmental services company providing industrial waste management, specialty cleaning, and facility services to industrial customers across overlapping verticals, though with a stronger regulated-waste focus.
• Republic Services: Large environmental services company providing industrial waste management, environmental cleanup, and specialty industrial services to a broad industrial customer base, with adjacent rather than direct service overlap.

Direct peers

• PSC Industrial Services: Direct competitor offering industrial cleaning, hydroblasting, chemical cleaning, and tank cleaning services to refineries, power plants, and chemical facilities across the US with comparable specialty service breadth.
• Hydro-X Engineering: Provides industrial cleaning, hydroblasting, and chemical cleaning services to power generation, refining, and heavy industrial customers in the Western and Central US, overlapping with Thompson in service lines and customer verticals.
• K2 Industrial Services: Industrial services contractor offering hydroblasting, vacuum, tank cleaning, and specialty cleaning to power, refining, and pulp & paper customers - directly overlapping with Thompson's core service portfolio and target verticals.
• Inland Industrial Services: Specialty industrial cleaning contractor providing hydroblasting, chemical cleaning, and confined space services to refining, petrochemical, and power generation customers with comparable operational focus.

Regional players

• Advanced Industrial Services: Industrial cleaning and maintenance services provider focused on the Eastern and Southeastern US serving power, refining, and heavy industrial customers with comparable specialty service offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThompsonInd
• Facebookfacebook.com/thompsonind

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thompson Industrial Services