Values

• Family - Family-owned and -operated since 2000, Ground Specialties is now owned by the second generation of the Ringham family.
• Creativity - ThawDawg - patented in the U.S. in 2003 - was a creatively brilliant design, brought to market by Marty and Teri Ringham, founders of Ground Specialties.
• Reliability - The Ringham family works hard to ensure every ThawDawg meets exact specifications and becomes your new “man’s best winter friend.”

Our Story

Ground Specialties has always been family-owned and -operated - first by Marty and Teri Ringham, and now by Tony and Jennifer Ringham.

Our first U.S. patent for ThawDawg was issued in 2003 (#6,408,843). Our patented ground-thawing system quickly established the ThawDawg name in the utility and cemetery industries as word spread about ThawDawg’s quick thaw rate and ease of use. Our Canadian patent was issued in 2007 (#2,330,214).

- In 2018, Tony and Jennifer purchased the business from Marty and Teri, planning to continue its highly-rated service level and superior equipment design and build quality. They also plan to further develop the marketing, support, and distribution networks for ThawDawg.

Ground Specialties and word of its trademark ThawDawg has continued to spread throughout several industry circles over the past two decades, including cemetery associations, construction firms, concrete companies, fencing installers, and utility companies. ThawDawg and Ground Specialties has grown to become an industry leader in the portable, safe, ground thawing equipment market.

Our hope for the future is to learn more of what the industry desires and is lacking, and potentially design additional equipment for the industry, solving even more frost-related woes for those individuals working in the cold winter months.