80+ Years of Excellence in Refractory Craft
Built for Generations.
Founded in Detroit in 1942 by Phillip “P.G.” Schad—from a pickup truck and two laborers—Schad Refractory has grown into the a premier full-service refractory provider, serving industries nationwide.
Decades of Craft. One Unchanging Standard.
In our first decades, we built boiler fireboxes and foundations throughout wartime Detroit. That craftsmanship laid the foundation for a company defined by reliability, resilience, and relentless execution.
Passing the Torch: Three Generations of Leadership
First Generation: P.G. Schad built from the ground up—literally and figuratively.
Second Generation: James Ross “J.R.” Schad, a WWII Marine sharpshooter, carried the legacy forward—from incinerator lines to broader industrial scope.
Third Generation: Led by Jim Choate and Dick Lee, the company entered modern growth with an unshakable focus on safety, service, and staying power.
Fourth Generation: Ross Lee began in the fabrication shop and worked through the field before stepping into leadership. Today, he leads with a people‑first approach and a focus on growth, development, and honoring the company’s legacy through high standards and hard work.
Built for Growth. Fueled by Culture.
From a humble yard near Greenfield Avenue to a 40,000 sq ft warehouse and 12,000 sq ft shop, Schad’s physical capacity has grown—just like its reputation. Along the way, core values like safety, quality, and humility became our backbone.
Legacy in Real Moments
Our early foremen—like Gar Cobb, Paul Zablocki, and John Abercrombie—etched the workmanship and mentorship that keeps trades alive today. From incinerators at the University of Michigan to sprawling steel mill rebuilds—our history is etched into every thermal system we’ve helped restore
Tomorrow: Built on Yesterday’s Trust
80+ years later, Schad is still guided by the same principles that launched this company: doing the work right, earning trust, and serving with heart. As you call the number or open the gates, you’re working with a company shaped by generations—ready to solve today’s toughest jobs.
Discover Our Core Values That Drive Success at Schad Refractory
Ownership
We take complete ownership of our positions. We are responsible for our decisions as well as the resulting outcomes. We see things through to completion and expect to achieve positive results in our roles as individuals and together as an organization.
Excellence
We strive to achieve excellence in every task that we perform. No task is unimportant to the whole. We take pride in our performance and expect to be exceptional at everything that we do.
Safety
We accept that without safety our organization cannot exist. We make our own safety as well as that of our co-workers and all of our stakeholders our top priority every minute of every day. We work together to create a culture where individuals freely and consistently speak-up, ask questions, and demand answers.
Consistency
We recognize that it is critical to our business that our customers expect and attain consistently positive experiences when conducting business with us. We must consistently provide positive results regardless of the industries, applications, geographies, or individuals involved.
Gratitude
We are genuinely grateful for our customers as well as each other. We realize that without these relationships our personal and professional goals cannot be attained. We make it a point to remember this each time that we interact with a client or fellow employee.
Humility
We believe that humility is a core prerequisite to collaborative achievement. Complacency flourishes in humility’s absence. We work tirelessly to prevent complacency from inhibiting sustainable achievement of our collective vision.
Our Legacy
Trusted by the People Who Can’t Afford Delays
Our work happens behind the scenes, but our reputation doesn’t. See what our partners say when the heat is on, the margin is thin, and failure isn’t an option.
From Family Roots to Industry Leader
From our humble beginnings as a small, family-run business, Schad Refractory has undergone remarkable growth and transformation, evolving into a nationally recognized leader in the esteemed field of refractory services.
Our steadfast commitment to maintaining exceptionally high standards of quality and safety has been meticulously instilled within us through generations of dedicated family members as well as loyal employees who share the same vision. This unwavering dedication ensures that we not only honor our rich legacy but also embrace the ever-evolving landscape of innovation and technological advancements that shape our industry today.
As we continue to move forward into the future, we remain deeply focused on providing exceptional service and support to our clients while steadfastly upholding the core values that have defined our company for decades, fostering strong relationships built on trust, reliability, and expertise.
Built by Generations. Trusted Nationwide.
At Schad, we proudly serve industrial clients across the United States, ensuring that safety is at the forefront of every project. Our dedicated teams adhere to rigorous safety protocols, reflecting our commitment to excellence in every region.
- Serving clients from coast to coast with safety first.
- Expert teams committed to safety on every job.
- Building trust through accountability and proven safety practices.
