Based in
Houston, Texas, Gulf Island Fabrication (GIF) was founded by Alden “Doc” Laborde, a
World War II Navy commander who later worked the offshore oil and gas industry. In 1985, it took over a bankrupt rival named Delta Fabrication. In 1997, when it
went public, the firm offered 2,000,000 shares, totaling an offering of US$30 million. By diversifying its revenue streams to include shipbuilding, it expanded by acquiring the LeeVac Shipyards in 2016, generating approximately $112 million incremental contract backlog during the industry crisis. On January 16, 2026, IES Holdings announced the completion of its acquisition of GIF. ==References==