In 1910, a young engineer named Allen P. Green bought the Mexico Brick and Fire Clay Company.  A.P Green Fire Brick Company was incorporated in 1915, and by 1937 it had become "the world's largest fireclay plant."  Fireclay can withstand extreme heat without damage, which makes it extremely useful in industrial furnaces.  As industries such as iron, steel, and other forged products grew, so did the need for firebrick; today, firebrick from Mexico is used to line the launchpads at Cape Kennedy.  A.P. Green Refractories closed in April of 2002.

Allen Percy Green (1875-1956) was an
integral part of developing many important
parts of modern-day Mexico.