Dresser Manufacturing Co
of Bradford, PA, USA
1880 Solomon Robert Dresser (1842-1911) developed a rubber "packer" to separate water and oil underground in oil wells.
1885 Dresser invented a coupling to join pipes together in such a way that they would not leak natural gas. This coupling also used rubber for a tight fit, and it was so successful that it permitted for the first time the long-range transport of natural gas.
1927 Dresser's descendants, who had been operating the company since the founder's death, decided to sell it.
1928 Converted into a public company. Dresser took advantage of its strong cash position to launch a program of acquisitions designed to survive a new threat to its coupling business presented by the introduction of welding for joining pipes together.
1930-1941 Dresser acquired various companies that manufactured valves, heaters, pumps, and engines and compressors.
1942 Developed a sleeve for rapid repair of fractured pipes.[1]
1944 Renamed Dresser Industries
1945 The need for larger headquarters with good rail and air connections took operations to Cleveland, Ohio.
Post-WWII Expansion continued - the company diversified into products as such oil derricks, blowers, drill bits, refractories, and drilling mud.
1950 the company headquarters were transferred to Dallas.
An aggressive acquisition program continued through the purchase of well-known companies involved in overhead cranes, gasoline-dispensing pumps, and heavy equipment for mining and construction.
1980s The organization was streamlined, getting out of insurance, mining, and construction-equipment.
1988 Joint agreement with Komatsu of Japan to manufacture construction equipment such as tractors, loaders, and hydraulic excavators - Dresser began to expand its operations once again.
Early 1990s the conglomerate purchased two European businesses.
1990 Acquired Peabody Engineering
1992 Formation of JV Ingersoll-Dresser Pump Co
1993 the company had three major divisions:
- Oil Field Products and Services
- Industrial Operations
- Energy Processing and Conversion Equipment.
1994 Acquired Wheatley TXT (a manufacturer of pumps, valves, and metering equipment) and the Baroid Corporation (a Houston-based oil-services firm that had competed directly with Dresser for customers). Dresser sold off its interest in M-I Drilling Fluids Company and Western Atlas International.
1988 Dresser Industries acquired Kellogg International Corporation
c.1998 Halliburton acquired Dresser Industries.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Engineering 1942/08/07