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Our History

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The Reinforced Earth Company (RECo) is a civil engineering design company and supplier of materials for retaining walls, arches, sound walls, and related structures. We are recognized as the inventor of modern Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining walls.

Henri Vidal - Inventor of MSE Retaining Wall Technology
Henri Vidal is credited with inventing modern MSE retaining wall technology.

Operating as a separate entity in the United States since 1971, we are affiliated with the global group Terre Armée. French for “Reinforced Earth,” Terre Armée was established by Henri Vidal after he patented modern MSE in 1963. The Terre Armée Group operates on six continents under variations of the name Reinforced Earth. Around the world, the group has completed over half a billion square feet of MSE retaining walls, roughly the size of Manhattan.

Sand and Pine needles
The concept of MSE was first experimented by Henri Vidal using sand and pine needles.

In the United States, we have pioneered the MSE retaining wall industry with our product, Reinforced Earth®. For over fifty years, our engineers have led the industry in researching and advancing the technology. Our expertise and active leadership, while working alongside government transportation agencies, universities, and the Association for Mechanically Stabilized Earth, have been critical to the development of current industry standards.

Beginning with only a few engineers repairing a landslide in Angeles National Forest, California, we have grown to hundreds of years of collective experience. Our staff of geotechnical, structural, and civil engineers continues to innovate for its clients with each new application for highways, railroads, bridges, dams, mining sites, the military, private development, and more.

RECo’s first project in the early 1970’s, still in use today – Angeles National Forest, California.

Our portfolio of engineered solutions has expanded to include several variations of permanent and temporary MSE retaining walls, precast modular retaining walls, arch bridges and tunnels, sound walls, traffic barriers, and other structures designed uniquely for many applications.

In 2018 we proudly added T-WALL®, the proven retaining wall system that has been a staple in the highway and railway construction industries for decades.

Large and small, and in all fifty states, tens of thousands of RECo’s projects can be found contributing to the nation’s infrastructure. Our local and global resources of engineers, manufacturing plants, and field personnel have built a reputation of expert engineering, architectural creativity, quality assurance, reliable delivery, and an unyielding focus on customer support.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Third Runway Wall
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Third Runway.

We are committed to client care, innovation, and safety. Contact us to learn how you can capitalize on the value of experience with The Reinforced Earth Company.