About Us

Lowery Tile Company was started by Joseph Lowery Sr. with the idea that a company based on quality, performance, and integrity would grow into an industry leader with a reputation for outstanding work. We have the experience, technical knowledge, and mechanical capability to accommodate even the most demanding projects.

"Every job is the most important"

In the mid 1950s, Joseph Lowery, a USMC Korean War veteran, returned home after the war to join his father, John Lowery, at the now-defunct Allen Tiling Company to complete some of the most prestigious construction projects of that era. With experience earned, Joseph was able to head out on his own in 1959. He founded Lowery Tile Company in Chicago, at a time when construction industry
spending had temporarily leveled off and distribution channels for ceramic tile materials were scarce.
Nevertheless, the company evolved and grew from Lowery’s steadfast commitment to quality and service. “You see these phrases so often in the marketing industry that they lose their meaning” says Lowery of his of his company’s slogan, yet he feels there is no other way to describe the Lowery Tile’s success.

With experience earned, Joseph was able to head out on his own in 1959. He founded Lowery Tile Company in Chicago, at a time when construction industry spending had temporarily leveled off and distribution channels for ceramic tile materials were scarce. Nevertheless, the company evolved and grew from Lowery’s steadfast commitment to quality work and service. “You see these phrases so often in the marketing industry that they lose their meaning” says Lowery of his of his company’s slogan, yet he feels there is no other way to describe the company’s success.

“What made this company successful

is our constant vigilance to excel;

to actually acheive the things that other

tile contractors could only advertise about.”

Lowery Tile’s first major project was St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, Ill. Completed in 1968, it was the largest ceramic tile project within the Local 67 Tile Layers’ jurisdiction at the time. It featured more than 50,000 square feet of quarry and ceramic tile installed in “mud,” the old-fashioned trade term referring to the portland cement mortar bed installation system. The surgical suites featured full-height ceramic wall tile and operating room floors tiled with conductive mosaic floor tile. The success of St. Francis proved to be a springboard for Lowery Tile, offering both experience and exposure to enable the company to be recognized as a leader in the industry. As the economy grew stronger, more opportunities came for the company to expand. Residential, religious and municipal projects became key market segments to complement the company’s strong presence in corporate and healthcare construction. In these years, Lowery Tile worked on countless Archdiocese of Chicago projects, including churches, high schools and grade schools. In 1971, Lowery Tile Company won the Chicago Tile Institute’s Award for Excellence for the ceramic tile work at St.Terrence Catholic Church in Alsip, IL. Another proud moment came a few years later after being contracted to perform restorative work on The Four Seasons, an exterior mosaic in downtown Chicago. Upon completio of the work, artist Marc Chagall sent a letter thanking Joe for the meticulous work in restoring the masterpiece.

Winning Strateies

As the tile setting trade was once passed from father to son, Lowery Tile has now progressed to the next generation with three of Joe’s six children joining the company, each prepared with a college education to back his position. William earned a degree in finance from Loyola University, Joseph T. earned a degree from DePaul University, and Patrick received a master’s degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology. “We work like a sports team,” says Joe Lowery. “Our winning strategy continues even though the industry, the technology and the tile colors change every couple of years.” There is no doubt that those winning strategies are grounded on expertise as Lowery Tile Company continues to provide top-quality tile installations through
craftsmanship that has spanned three generations of the Lowery family.

Phone: 708-389-9200 Fax: 708-389-9209 Email: [email protected]

Address: 12335 S. Keeler Ave. Alsip, IL 60803