What Thelen Materials does

Thelen Materials is a family-owned manufacturer and distributor of bulk aggregates and organic soil products founded in 1947 by Vern Thelen and headquartered in Antioch, Illinois. The company operates three production facilities — Antioch, IL (primary manufacturing and organics); Lakemoor, IL (sand and gravel); and Genoa City, WI (Lange Rd. facility, certified under the WisDOT Aggregate Gradation Control Program) — and serves contractors, homeowners, golf courses, sports turf managers, and institutional landscaping customers across northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin. Its aggregate line includes IDOT- and WisDOT-certified gravel, washed sand (including Torpedo, Mason, Trench Backfill, and USGA-spec Root Zone sand), limestone, decorative stone, and recycled crushed concrete and asphalt; its organics line, produced at an IEPA-permitted yard waste disposal facility, includes screened compost, leaf mulch, STA-certified compost, planting mix, bio-swale engineered soils, CU Structural Soil, and custom amended soil blends, manufactured through a four-stage screening process with state-certified (IDOT and WisDOT) lab testing. The business model is direct-to-customer: products are sold by the yard or ton with both pick-up at any facility and direct delivery via a brokered semi fleet coordinated through a single dispatch center, supplemented by transportation services and an IEPA-permitted CCDD disposal service that accepts pre-approved excavation spoils. The company monetizes three primary streams — aggregate product sales, organic soil and compost sales, and transportation/disposal services — and extends into a dedicated Thelen Golf & Sports brand for the golf and sports turf niche. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; orders are placed via a single dispatch phone number, with tax-exempt and credit-application processes available for contractor accounts.

Name

Thelen Materials

Legal name

Thelen Materials

Website

https://thelenmaterials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thelen Materials is a family-owned aggregate and organic soil manufacturer founded in 1947, serving construction contractors, homeowners, golf courses, and institutional landscapers across northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin with IDOT/WisDOT-certified products from three regional facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Aggregates

akta.pro primary industry

Sand & Gravel Extraction & Processing (IMAKAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycled Aggregates & C&D Materials Processing (RCA, RAP, Glass Aggregate) (IMAKAHAI), Organics Facility Development & Operations Services (Design/Build, O&M, Permitting) (EUAIAEAJ)

Keywords

• Aggregate manufacturing
• Construction materials supply
• Organic compost production
• Soil blending services
• Bulk material delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Antioch

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aggregate product sales: Thelen Materials sells bulk aggregates (gravel, sand, recycled products, specialty products) on a per-unit or per-ton basis, with both pick-up and delivery options available to contractors and homeowners in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
2. Organic soil and compost product sales: Compost and organic soil blends are sold by the yard, available for pick-up or delivery year-round. Specialty blended soils and custom amended mixes are also sold per unit.
3. Transportation and delivery services: Logistics and delivery services are offered using a brokered semi fleet with various trailer styles, handling delivery of aggregates and return of excavation spoils to Thelen's IEPA-permitted CCDD facility.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Thelen Materials manufactures and distributes IDOT and WisDOT certified bulk aggregates (gravel, sand, recycled crushed concrete and asphalt, specialty products) and organic compost and soil blends produced at an IEPA-permitted yard waste facility. The company operates three manufacturing facilities in Antioch, Lakemoor, and Genoa City, offering pick-up and direct delivery with a brokered semi fleet for construction contractors, municipalities, golf courses, and homeowners in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Product overview

Thelen Materials is a family-owned aggregate and organic soil manufacturer serving northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin since 1947. The company operates as a single unified business offering four interconnected product lines: (1) Aggregate Products including sand, gravel, and specialty construction materials certified by IDOT and WisDOT; (2) Recycled Products including crushed concrete and crushed asphalt; (3) Organics Division producing compost and soil blends from yard waste at an IEPA-permitted facility; and (4) Transportation & Delivery Services with a brokered fleet for logistics. Products are available for pickup or delivery from Antioch, Lakemoor, and Genoa City facilities. The aggregate and organics divisions work in coordination—the organics division blends compost with materials mined by the aggregate division to produce specialized soil products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aggregate Products IDOT and WisDOT certified bulk aggregates including washed sand products (Torpedo sand, Mason sand, Trench Backfill, Root Zone sand, Blending sand) and gravel products (Premium Bike Trail Mix FA-21, 3/8" and 3/4" chips, Grade 9, Birdseye, Pea Gravel, #6 and #8 Stone, 2" Roofing Stone, #10 Stone cobble, decorative boulders, limestone products, pond liner cobble, gravel rip rap, salt and ice control mixes, concrete raising/leveling mix, playground sand, clayfill, and old time screenings). Sold to construction contractors, municipalities, and homeowners for road reconstruction, commercial construction, residential projects, and public infrastructure.
• Recycled Products Recycled crushed concrete and crushed asphalt products including Grade 9 IDOT CA6, Wisconsin 1.25"/3/4" dense grade, and 3" clear crushed concrete. Sold to construction contractors and municipalities for sustainable construction and base course applications.
• Organics Division Organic compost and soil products produced at the IEPA-permitted yard waste disposal facility at Antioch, including 3/8" Screened Compost, Super Fine Compost, Premium Super Fine Compost, Leaf Mulch, U.S. Composting Council Approved Compost (manure-free), and STA Certified Compost. Compost is processed through a four-stage screening process and turned an average of 10 times over a 60–90 day cycle. Sold to landscapers, golf courses, sports turf managers, and homeowners.
• Topsoil and Custom Soil Blends Screened topsoil, bio-swale soil blends, CU Structural Soil, custom amended soils, Planting Mix (1/3 compost, 1/3 sand, 1/3 screened topsoil), Super Fine Root Zone Divot Mix (1:1 Root Zone Sand and Super Fine Compost), 7.2.1 Construction Mix (70% Root Zone Sand, 20% Screened Topsoil, 10% Compost), and custom organic soil blends. Sold to landscapers, golf courses, municipal customers, and specialty projects.
• Transportation and Delivery Services Logistics and delivery services using a brokered semi fleet with multiple trailer styles for delivery of aggregates and organics to construction contractors, municipalities, and homeowners. Delivery is coordinated through a single dispatch center serving all three facilities.
• CCDD Disposal Services CCDD disposal services at Thelen's IEPA-permitted facility accepting pre-approved excavation spoils under Clean Construction or Demolition Debris scenarios. All disposal scenarios must be pre-approved before commencement using Thelen's Material Profile Sheet and associated IEPA forms. Sold to construction and excavation contractors.
• Yard Waste Disposal Yard waste disposal service at the IEPA-permitted Antioch facility accepting grass clippings, leaves, and brush with stringent receiving guidelines to minimize contamination. Accepted yard waste is processed into compost products. Sold to municipalities, landscaping companies, and commercial accounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Compost reaches 120–160°F and is turned over an average of 10 times during the 60–90 day production cycle, ensuring pathogen-free, consistent quality.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Thelen Family FoundationminorOthersAffiliate organization under the Thelen family umbrella. Listed as a partner entity on the Thelen Materials website alongside Thelen Sand and Gravel.
• Thelen Sand and GravelcoreOthersSister company within the Thelen family of companies, sharing the Thelen brand and business ecosystem. Listed as a partner entity on the Thelen Materials website, with a separate website (thelensg.com).
• Aggregate Producers of WisconsinminorOthersIndustry trade association for aggregate producers in Wisconsin. Thelen Materials is a member, gaining access to industry advocacy, standards development, and peer network within the Wisconsin construction aggregates sector.
• Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA)minorOthersTrade association representing the transportation construction industry in Illinois. Thelen Materials is a member, providing access to industry advocacy, project leads, and standards engagement.
• Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP)minorOthersState trade association for aggregate producers in Illinois. Thelen Materials is a member, supporting industry representation and regulatory engagement in Illinois.
• Underground Contractors Association of Illinois (UCA)minorOthersTrade association for underground utility and excavation contractors in Illinois. Thelen Materials is a member, providing a channel to reach contractors who purchase aggregate and use CCDD disposal services.
• Wisconsin Underground Contractors Association (WUCA)minorOthersTrade association for underground utility and excavation contractors in Wisconsin. Thelen Materials is a member, providing access to Wisconsin contractor network for aggregate sales and disposal services.
• Great Lakes Construction AssociationminorOthersTrade association serving construction companies in the Great Lakes region. Thelen Materials is a member, connecting the company with regional construction contractors who are end users of aggregate materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Martin Marietta Materials: Major U.S. supplier of aggregates (crushed stone, sand, gravel) and heavy-side construction materials with operations across the Midwest. Comparable core product line but serves a national footprint and large infrastructure projects.
• Vulcan Materials Company: Largest U.S. producer of construction aggregates, operating hundreds of facilities nationwide including in Illinois and Wisconsin. Comparable in core aggregate production but at vastly greater scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Lehigh Hanson: Subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials producing aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, and cement across the U.S., including Illinois and Wisconsin. Directly comparable aggregate product portfolio but operates at much larger scale.
• Cemex (US): Global aggregates and ready-mix producer with U.S. operations including the Midwest region. Comparable aggregate offerings but with far broader geographic and product diversification.
• Holcim (US): Global building materials company with significant U.S. aggregate operations in the Midwest. Comparable product mix (sand, gravel, recycled aggregates) but at corporate scale with national distribution.

Emerging players

• Purple Cow Organics: Midwest-based organic compost and soil blend producer serving landscaping and agriculture customers. Comparable in the organics/compost product line and regional Midwest customer base, though smaller scale and without aggregate mining integration.

Direct peers

• Bussen Quarries and Excavating: Family-owned aggregate producer based in the St. Louis metro with comparable mid-size operations producing crushed stone, sand, and recycled concrete. Strong regional peer benchmark for a family-owned aggregate business model.
• Fox River Stone: Smaller aggregate and landscaping stone supplier operating in the greater Chicago/western Illinois region. Comparable in geography and product mix (decorative stone, gravel, sand) to Thelen's specialty aggregates business.
• Thelen Sand and Gravel: Sister company under the Thelen family umbrella, also producing aggregates in the same Illinois/Wisconsin corridor. Most directly comparable peer given shared brand, geography, and product overlap.

Regional players

• Bluff City Materials: Mid-South-focused aggregate and construction materials supplier offering sand, gravel, and specialty products to contractors. Comparable regional operator model, though serving different geography than Thelen.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thelen-materials-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Thelen Materials