Thompson Lightning Protection
Thompson Lightning Protection is a 1910-founded, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of lightning protection hardware (conductors, air terminals, bases, grounding products, surge devices) and turnkey installation services for government, industrial/commercial, and residential customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1910
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Thompson Lightning Protection does
Thompson Lightning Protection, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of lightning protection hardware and systems, founded in 1910 and headquartered at 901 Sibley Highway, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The company sells a full catalog of structural lightning protection components — conductors, air terminals (rods), bases, cable holders, bonding equipment, splicers, through-roof/wall products, grounding rods/plates/bars, fasteners and hardware — plus service-entrance surge protection devices and decorative ornaments, and it packages these into complete Class I (under 75 ft) and Class II (over 75 ft) system installations plus custom-fabricated components for non-standard applications.
Thompson's core technology is metal forming and finishing: it was the first in the industry to move major bronze and aluminum fittings from traditional sand casting to pressure die-casting, which produces a tighter grain structure, higher density, and greater component strength. The firm does not sell software or APIs; its product surface is purely physical hardware sold through a quote-based (RFQ Builder) direct-sales motion, supplemented by an online document library and CAD details. Field installers are Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) certified as Journeymen or Master Installers, and designers hold the Master Installer / Master Installer Designer credential.
The business model is project-based B2B/B2G hardware sales plus installation services across three verticals: Government / Military (DoD, GSA, FAA, NOAA, NASA and other federal agencies, with the White House cited as a marquee project), Industrial & Commercial (buildings over 75 ft, factories, warehouses, offices), and Residential & Light Commercial (Class I systems under 75 ft). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by material (copper vs. aluminum), installation type (concealed vs. exposed), and building size. Distribution is exclusively domestic and direct; the firm has no disclosed VC/PE backing, no subsidiaries, and no parent company, with Allan P. Steffes as CEO and Jeffrey M. Steffes as President.
Thompson Lightning Protection firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thompson Lightning Protection
- Legal name
- Thompson Lightning Protection, Inc.
- Website
- https://tlpinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1910
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Thompson Lightning Protection is a 1910-founded, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of lightning protection hardware (conductors, air terminals, bases, grounding products, surge devices) and turnkey installation services for government, industrial/commercial, and residential customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thompson Lightning Protection industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lightning Protection Systems
- NAICS
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531)
- SIC
- Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grounding, Bonding & Lightning Protection (grounding bars, clamps, earthing systems, lightning arrestors) (IMAGAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Grounding, Bonding & Lightning Protection Conductors (IMADAMAM), Surge Protectors & Power Strips (SPD) (HDACAJAB)
Keywords
Where Thompson Lightning Protection is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Thompson Lightning Protection business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lightning Protection Components and Hardware Sales: Thompson Lightning Protection generates revenue through the sale of lightning protection hardware components including conductors, air terminals, bases, cable holders, bonding equipment, splicers, grounding products, surge protection devices, fasteners, hardware, and ornamental elements. They also generate revenue through installation services for industrial, commercial, residential, and government facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B/B2G component and system sales with quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Thompson Lightning Protection product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thompson Lightning Protection, Inc. manufactures and supplies UL-listed lightning protection system components (air terminals, conductors, cable holders, grounding products, surge protection devices, fasteners, and ornaments) and provides turnkey design, installation, and custom engineering services for industrial, commercial, residential, and government facilities. The company has been in continuous operation since 1910 and operates an in-house pressure die-cast manufacturing capability for its component line.
Product overview
Thompson Lightning Protection manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of lightning protection equipment and provides installation services. The core product line includes Lightning Conductors (copper, aluminum, lead-covered), Air Terminals (lightning rods/points) in multiple configurations, Air Terminal Bases, Cable Holders, Bonding Equipment, Splicers, Through Roof/Wall Products, and Grounding Products (rods, plates, bars, accessories). The company also offers Surge Protection Devices for electrical service entrance protection and decorative Ornaments and Fasteners & Hardware accessories. Services include Industrial/Commercial Protection Systems for large facilities and Class II buildings over 75 feet tall, Residential & Light Commercial Systems, Government Design & Installation for military and civilian agencies, and Custom Part Component Design fabrication. The company pioneered pressure die-cast manufacturing for bronze and aluminum fittings rather than traditional sand casting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lightning Protection System Components
- Industrial/Commercial Lightning Protection Design & Installation
- Residential & Light Commercial Lightning Protection Systems
- Government & Military Lightning Protection Design & Installation
- Custom Part & Component Design
Quantifiable outcome
- A properly designed and installed lightning protection system combined with adequate lightning surge arresters is virtually 100% effective in protecting a building, its contents, and most importantly, its occupants from lightning related damage or injury.
Companies that use Thompson Lightning Protection
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Thompson Lightning Protection technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Thompson Lightning Protection partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Plaudit DesignminorPlaudit Design is the web design firm that designed and developed Thompson Lightning Protection's website. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Thompson Lightning Protection competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- nVent ERICO: nVent Electric's ERICO division manufactures lightning protection conductors, air terminals, grounding products, and surge protection devices (including the SES160B Series Thompson resells). It is a primary direct competitor across Thompson's core product categories.
- Guardian Lightning Protection: Guardian is an LPI-certified lightning protection installer and supplier serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers with similar system design and component offerings to Thompson.
- Harger Lightning & Grounding: Harger manufactures and distributes lightning protection and grounding components (air terminals, conductors, grounding rods, exothermic welding products) to a similar contractor and installer customer base across industrial, commercial, and government projects.
- Dehn Inc. Dehn (German parent DEHN SE) manufactures lightning protection, surge protection, and grounding components and sells into U.S. industrial, telecom, and renewable energy customers — overlapping Thompson's surge protection and grounding product categories.
- Independent Protection Company (IPC): IPC designs, installs, and distributes lightning protection systems for residential, commercial, industrial, and government customers, overlapping with Thompson's service offering and LPI-certified installer base.
- East Coast Lightning Equipment: ECLE is a manufacturer and distributor of UL-listed lightning protection components and systems, supplying air terminals, conductors, bases, and grounding hardware to installers — directly competing with Thompson across the same product catalog.
- ALLTEC LLC: ALLTEC provides lightning protection systems, surge protection, and grounding solutions globally for commercial, industrial, and military customers, making it a directly comparable systems integrator and product supplier to Thompson.
Broad incumbents
- ABB Installation Products: ABB offers electrical installation products including surge protection, grounding hardware, and wiring components across industrial and infrastructure applications — an incumbent with category overlap but not specialized in dedicated lightning protection systems.
- Siemens Smart Infrastructure: Siemens' Smart Infrastructure division supplies building electrical protection, surge suppression, and grounding solutions as part of a broader building technologies portfolio — adjacent to but not specialized in Thompson's lightning protection niche.
- Eaton (Cooper Power Systems / Bussmann): Eaton is a broad electrical equipment incumbent with surge protection devices, grounding products, and electrical apparatus serving industrial and utility customers — a partial competitor with overlapping but not specialized lightning protection offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Thompson Lightning Protection social profiles
Digital presenceThompson Lightning Protection financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thompson Lightning Protection leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Thompson Lightning Protection funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thompson Lightning Protection M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thompson Lightning Protection
What does Thompson Lightning Protection do?
Thompson Lightning Protection, Inc. manufactures and supplies UL-listed lightning protection system components (air terminals, conductors, cable holders, grounding products, surge protection devices, fasteners, and ornaments) and provides turnkey design, installation, and custom engineering services for industrial, commercial, residential, and government facilities. The company has been in continuous operation since 1910 and operates an in-house pressure die-cast manufacturing capability for its component line.
Is Thompson Lightning Protection a public or private company?
Thompson Lightning Protection is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Thompson Lightning Protection founded?
Thompson Lightning Protection was founded in 1910. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Thompson Lightning Protection based?
Thompson Lightning Protection is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thompson Lightning Protection make money?
One revenue line is on record: lightning Protection Components and Hardware Sales.
Who are Thompson Lightning Protection's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are nVent ERICO, Guardian Lightning Protection, Harger Lightning & Grounding, Dehn Inc., Independent Protection Company (IPC), East Coast Lightning Equipment and ALLTEC LLC. Broad incumbents are ABB Installation Products, Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Eaton (Cooper Power Systems / Bussmann).
Does Thompson Lightning Protection have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thompson Lightning Protection.
What industry is Thompson Lightning Protection in?
Thompson Lightning Protection's product category is Lightning Protection Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAEAJ, Grounding, Bonding & Lightning Protection (grounding bars, clamps, earthing systems, lightning arrestors), with a secondary code of IMADAMAM, Grounding, Bonding & Lightning Protection Conductors. Its NAICS code is 33531 and its SIC code is 3620.