Joe R Bekker News

Thrustmaster Reaches 30-year Milestone

Thrustmaster of Texas announced the achievement of an important company milestone: 30 years in the marine propulsion industry. Established in 1984 by its current president, Joe R. Bekker, Thrustmaster has grown from a small manufacturer of outboard, deck-mounted propulsion units to a worldwide leading manufacturer of marine propulsion systems. From the first order for 13 deck-mounted propulsion units for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a follow-up order for the U.S. Navy…

From 85 hp to Infinity

Talk to Joe Bekker for five minutes and you know he’s living the “American Dream.” Bekker, the founder, owner and president of Thrustmaster of Texas, came to Houston from The Netherlands in 1979 and has never looked back. An innovator and entrepreneur, Bekker has helped Thrustmaster of Texas evolve from its initial contract – a single 85 hp outboard propulsion unit for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1980s – to a $150 million company today: here’s how. The maritime industry is replete with interesting stories, and Thrustmaster of Texas and its founder Joe R.