COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 8711

Engineering Services.

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

68companies1844–1992founding years62still active6no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedEiffage
1844
FoundedArcadis NV
1888
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedViatech Continental Can Company, Inc.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedPerini Corporation
1918
FoundedFoster Wheeler Corporation
1927
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedMestek, Inc.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedBouygues S.A.
1952
FoundedUnited States Filter Corporation
1953
FoundedEssef Corporation
1954
FoundedTracor Inc.
1955
FoundedThermo Electron Corporation
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
FoundedFramatome SA
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedAnalytic Sciences CorporationFoundedSchneider S.A.
1966
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
FoundedVECO International, Inc.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedCorrpro Companies, Inc.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedRust International Inc.
1988
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedDames & Moore, Inc.
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Eiffage →
Active · founded 1844 · France
Eiffage is one of France's leading construction and civil engineering groups, posting nearly FFr 32 billion in total…
Eiffage →
Active · founded 1844 · France
Eiffage is one of France's leading construction and civil engineering groups, posting nearly FFr 32 billion in total…
Arcadis NV →
Active · founded 1888 · The Netherlands
Arcadis NV is an internationally operating engineering consulting and project firm with an emphasis on environmental…
Arcadis NV →
Active · founded 1888 · The Netherlands
Arcadis NV is an internationally operating engineering consulting and project firm with an emphasis on environmental…
Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd. →
Active · founded 1889 · Hong Kong
Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd.
Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd. →
Active · founded 1889 · Hong Kong
Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd.
Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc.--since June 1998 a wholly owned subsidiary of Dallas-based dairy and packaging…
Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc.--since June 1998 a wholly owned subsidiary of Dallas-based dairy and packaging…
Black & Veatch LLP →
Active · founded 1915
Black & Veatch LLP is a leading global engineering and construction firm.
Black & Veatch LLP →
Active · founded 1915
Black & Veatch LLP is a leading global engineering and construction firm.
Perini Corporation →
Active · founded 1918
Ranked in the top ten percent on Engineering News Record's 1992 list of the top 400 contractors, Perini Corporation…
Perini Corporation →
Active · founded 1918
Ranked in the top ten percent on Engineering News Record's 1992 list of the top 400 contractors, Perini Corporation…
GEA AG →
Active · founded 1920 · Germany
GEA AG is one of the world's leading suppliers for food and process engineering, and thermal engineering technology.
GEA AG →
Active · founded 1920 · Germany
GEA AG is one of the world's leading suppliers for food and process engineering, and thermal engineering technology.
Foster Wheeler Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1927
Foster Wheeler Corporation is an international company overseeing a wide range of engineering and construction…
Foster Wheeler Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1927
Foster Wheeler Corporation is an international company overseeing a wide range of engineering and construction…
Tractebel S.A. →
Active · founded 1929 · Belgium
Tractebel S.A.
Tractebel S.A. →
Active · founded 1929 · Belgium
Tractebel S.A.
Mestek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Mestek, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for industrial,…
Mestek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Mestek, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for industrial,…
Vitro Corp. →
Active · founded 1950
Vitro Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tracor Inc.
Vitro Corp. →
Active · founded 1950
Vitro Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tracor Inc.
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
BBN Corp. →
Active · founded 1953
BBN Corp.
BBN Corp. →
Active · founded 1953
BBN Corp.
United States Filter Corporation →
Active · founded 1953
United States Filter Corporation (USF) is the world's largest and fastest-growing water and wastewater treatment…
United States Filter Corporation →
Active · founded 1953
United States Filter Corporation (USF) is the world's largest and fastest-growing water and wastewater treatment…
Wyle Electronics →
Active · founded 1953
Wyle Electronics is one of the leading U.S.
Wyle Electronics →
Active · founded 1953
Wyle Electronics is one of the leading U.S.
Essef Corporation →
Active · founded 1954
A market leader and industry innovator, Essef Corporation designs and manufactures components to move, store, and treat…
Essef Corporation →
Active · founded 1954
A market leader and industry innovator, Essef Corporation designs and manufactures components to move, store, and treat…
Lotus Cars Ltd. →
Active · founded 1955 · England
Lotus Cars Ltd.
Lotus Cars Ltd. →
Active · founded 1955 · England
Lotus Cars Ltd.
Tracor Inc. →
Active · founded 1955
Tracor Inc.
Tracor Inc. →
Active · founded 1955
Tracor Inc.
Thermo Electron Corporation →
Active · founded 1956
Thermo Electron Corporation is a leading innovator in the practical application of heat science and energy conversion…
Thermo Electron Corporation →
Active · founded 1956
Thermo Electron Corporation is a leading innovator in the practical application of heat science and energy conversion…
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.
Framatome SA →
Active · founded 1958 · France
Framatome SA is a diversified, international manufacturing company and also the world leader in nuclear power…
Framatome SA →
Active · founded 1958 · France
Framatome SA is a diversified, international manufacturing company and also the world leader in nuclear power…
Logicon Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Logicon Inc.
Logicon Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Logicon Inc.
Analytic Sciences Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
The Analytic Sciences Corporation (TASC) is a leading provider of applied information technology services.
Analytic Sciences Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
The Analytic Sciences Corporation (TASC) is a leading provider of applied information technology services.
Montedison S.p.A. →
Defunct · founded 1966 · Italy
Montedison S.p.A.
Montedison S.p.A. →
Defunct · founded 1966 · Italy
Montedison S.p.A.
Schneider S.A. →
Active · founded 1966 · France
After a dizzying series of complicated restructurings, acquisitions, and divestments that began in 1980 when the…
Schneider S.A. →
Active · founded 1966 · France
After a dizzying series of complicated restructurings, acquisitions, and divestments that began in 1980 when the…
WMX Technologies Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
WMX Technologies Inc., a holding company, is a leading international provider of environmental and related services.
WMX Technologies Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
WMX Technologies Inc., a holding company, is a leading international provider of environmental and related services.
VECO International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
VECO International, Inc.
VECO International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
VECO International, Inc.
British Aerospace plc →
Defunct · founded 1978 · United Kingdom
British Aerospace plc (BAe) is the largest defense contractor in Europe, as well as being a leading aerospace company.
British Aerospace plc →
Defunct · founded 1978 · United Kingdom
British Aerospace plc (BAe) is the largest defense contractor in Europe, as well as being a leading aerospace company.
Corrpro Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Corrpro Companies, Inc.
Corrpro Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Corrpro Companies, Inc.
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited →
Active · founded 1984 · Bermuda
Jardine Matheson is one of the oldest names in East Asia, and Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited is an international…
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited →
Active · founded 1984 · Bermuda
Jardine Matheson is one of the oldest names in East Asia, and Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited is an international…
Rust International Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
With operations in North and South America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, Rust International Inc.
Rust International Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
With operations in North and South America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, Rust International Inc.
Ascend Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Ascend Communications, Inc.
Ascend Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Ascend Communications, Inc.
Dames & Moore, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
A pioneer in civil engineering, Dames & Moore, Inc.
Dames & Moore, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
A pioneer in civil engineering, Dames & Moore, Inc.
Thermo Fibertek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Thermo Fibertek, Inc.
Thermo Fibertek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Thermo Fibertek, Inc.
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