In the early 1960s, laboratory worksurfaces were typically made from 1.25” thick quarried stone – most often imperial stone or sandstone. Many companies across the United States cut these stone tops and sold them to fabricators. With the advent of epoxy resin, these stone tops were then often coated with it to provide additional chemical resistance.

By the mid-1960s, epoxy resin’s superior chemical and fire-resistant properties were becoming widely recognized. The Duriron Company was among the leading innovators at the time, already manufacturing epoxy-resin piping and fittings.

In the early 1970s, Duriron - by then renamed Durcon - expanded into fully epoxy resin laboratory products. Around the same period, a small stone-fabrication firm called Laboratory Tops (LabTops) also began producing epoxy resin worksurfaces and molding epoxy-resin sinks.

In the mid-1970s, Laboratory Tops built on its sink manufacturing expertise and began casting LabTops epoxy resin slabs for the broader laboratory market. Its first slab mold replicated the prevailing stone standard: 72 inches long, 31 inches wide, and 1.25 inches thick. By the late 1970s, both Laboratory Tops and Durcon were producing epoxy resin worksurfaces and steadily improving the material and fabrication methods.

The epoxy resin worksurface industry expanded rapidly through the mid and late 1980s. Epoxy resin ultimately became the preferred material for worksurfaces that needed to withstand harsh chemicals, high heat, and heavy structural demands. As adoption grew, competition intensified, manufacturing quality rose, and prices dropped—making epoxy resin not only well suited to laboratory environments but also increasingly affordable. With a strong emphasis on quality and an innovative mindset, Laboratory Tops was well positioned to capture a significant share of this growing market.

To support its expansion, Laboratory Tops moved into a larger manufacturing facility in the mid-1980s. The new site at 206 Allison Drive in Taylor, Texas, was a state-of-the-art production space spanning 75,000 square feet, purpose-built for manufacturing epoxy resin worksurfaces, sinks, and related accessories.

The 1990s, buoyed by a strong economy, became a decade of major innovation for the epoxy resin worksurface industry. Laboratory construction accelerated for several reasons: many schools and research institutions were replacing facilities built in the 1940s and 1950s; emerging and fast-advancing fields such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and biological sciences demanded modern labs; and research was increasingly dependent on computers and computer-aided equipment, which older labs lacked the wiring, bench space, and infrastructure to support.

During the 1990s, Laboratory Tops stayed true to its innovation-driven mission. The company introduced new epoxy formulations that improved the material’s physical performance, along with new products designed for an evolving laboratory environment. LabTops also worked closely with lab designers and architects to bring emerging industry standards to market, including lipped “DropIn” sinks, ergonomic edge profiles, and lighter, more user-friendly color options.

In the first decade of the new millennium, the laboratory market expanded rapidly, creating major opportunities for the industry. During this period, Durcon and Laboratory Tops merged into a single company under the Durcon name. The combined organization quickly pooled its expertise and resources to launch new products such as Greenstone - an environmentally friendlier worksurface that blends post-consumer recycled glass with exceptionally durable, hardened epoxy resin.

Today, the laboratory worksurface market continues to look strong. Ongoing construction of new and upgraded schools, along with sustained growth in pharmaceutical and research sectors, is driving steady demand for epoxy resin worksurfaces.

View Durcon Company Timeline over the decades.