The TF Experience
TF Concrete Forming Systems started in February 1994 as an idea drawn on a napkin in a small café in Sturgeon Bay, WI. In September of 1994, after months of design and testing, a horizontally oriented, expanded polystyrene plank and roll formed sheet metal rail insulated concrete forming system was erected on a commercial basis for the first time. This first project was an ICF basement foundation for a duplex that was intended to be finished off for additional living space.
The next several projects were frost walls for condominiums and basements beneath modular homes where owners wanted to maximize useable living space. After approximately two years of experimentation and design modifications a vertical version of ThermoForm ICF was tested and quickly determined to be far superior to the previous horizontal design. This new, vertically oriented design was immediately introduced to the marketplace.
While the vast majority of TF's early ICF projects were residential, a commercial building in Sturgeon Bay was erected entirely of ICF walls in Fall 1997. This building was converted from CMU construction to ICF because of the tight timeline required to reopen after the original building was destroyed by fire.
In addition, several commercial projects were completed that used ThermoForm ICF for frostwalls, either because of the ability to complete projects faster or because of winter construction schedules.
In 1998, the first above grade residential project was built using ThermoForm. Since that time ThermoForm ICF houses have been built all over North America.
In 2005, TF Concrete Forming Systems decided to enter the commercial building segment of the construction industry. Since that time we have provided ICF materials to many different types of commercial structures, including retail, churches, hotels, cold storage, municipal, schools, offices, and government buildings.
We are very proud to offer unique forming systems, ICF, hybrids, and others, that easily conform to the desires of architects and/or designers for both residential and commercial construction. We especially take pride in the fact that these buildings will perform well for generations, saving energy and the environment, benefitting all of society.
In 2009 new investors joined the company with a vision for a revolutionary step forward in concrete forming systems. This vision came to fruition in 2010 with TransForm.
The first TransForm project is Pensmore (www.Pensmore.com). A 70,000 sq ft+ residence in Missouri, it will be one of the top ten largest private houses in America. Standing five stories high and designed to withstand a tornado, it is entirely made of concrete. The second project, now finished, is a commercial scale ICF church addition, standing two stories high and comprising some 8,000 sq ft. Since TransForm's introduction in late 2010, over a mile of 12" thick concrete walls have been poured, with varying height configurations, some as tall as 16' high, and without a single blowout or product failure; a success TF stands proudly behind.