The last 25 years have seen three recessions, the worst housing downturn in history and an improbable rise of a quiet company built on a singular energy-saving insulation.

Environmentally Safe Products Inc. (ESP), founded in 1990, created and patented ESP Low-Ereflective insulation—a product that blocks 97 percent of radiant heat. That performance has enabled ESP to build a superior track record of boosting energy efficiency—and to grow from a small regional player into a producer with an international footprint.

Versatility Creates Opportunity

Initially sold for use in pole barns in rural Pennsylvania, ESP Low-E soon became known not only for superior performance, but also for versatility. As the company grew, it developed ESP Low-Efor use in a broad range of applications: walls, ceilings, roofs, housewrap, under concrete, and more. To date, the product has also been installed in athletic facilities, huge warehouses, race cars, ambulances—even in the U.S. Capitol Dome in Washington D.C.

Because it dramatically increases a building’s R-Valueand drives down lifetime energy costs, some of the nation’s largest residential builders install ESP Low-E. The company has manufactured well over half a billion square feet of the product.

Insulating the U.S. and Beyond

ESP now has more than 40 employees at three production facilities—two in New Oxford, Penn., and a third in Carson City, Nev. In the U.S., this American-made product is sold only through independent lumber dealers and hardware stores. ESP also has distribution in the United Kingdom, and can be found in 17 other countries worldwide.

Cory Groft, the company founder and CEO, invented ESP Low-E by heat-bonding a pure aluminum facing to a closed-cell, non-toxic polyethylene foam. While the patented product outperforms competing reflective insulation, Groft attributes the company’s longevity to its employees.

“We’re fortunate to have science on our side,” said Groft. “We’re even more fortunate to have a workforce that understands quality production. Our employees have always been our number one resource—since day one.”

A New Record and More Growth Ahead

Though ESP just celebrated its 25 anniversary, the company continues to expand and innovate. ESP recently announced that in 2014, it shattered its annual sales record. And in December, the company rolled out Simple Solution Rolls—specially packaged quantities of ESP Low-E created for DIY homeowners, auto enthusiasts and others. The company also plans to continue expanding its network of U.S. distribution centers in the coming years.