ABOUT US
HISTORY

Thelen Sand & Gravel was established back in 1947 when a young entrepreneur named Vern Thelen had saved enough money to buy a truck and 25 acres of the family farm. Prior to that purchase Vern had loaded sand from a corner of the family farm into a horse drawn wagon and sold the material to his neighbors and friends for $1 a yard. This laid the foundation for what has become one of Lake County's most enterprising and successful family owned and operated businesses.

Until 1951 when Vern started hiring, Thelen Sand & Gravel was a "one man show".  In 1955 Vern’s brother, Ray, joined him in partnership. Since then, the company has grown tremendously. Thelen currently owns thousands of acres in Lake and McHenry Counties in Illinois, and employs hundreds of people. It is the spirit of family and community that formulates the key elements of our corporate culture that values hard work, innovation, planning, and loyalty.

Thelen expands as the market dictates, upgrading and innovating in order to remain in the forefront of our competitors while residing in the direct path of our customers. Today, all of our facilities are highly automated and uphold the latest industry technology. These technologies allow Thelen to operate more efficiently while lowering operating costs and keeping our prices in check. All this in an effort to lower our customers’ bottom line.