50 Year History
March 14, 1969
Bob Lewis, early photo
Orbital Enterprises, Inc. established by Robert J. Lewis (Bob)
1969
First Office, Kooshak Bldg, Bethel Park, PA
First Orbital Office in 2nd floor of Kooshak Building, Bethel Park, PA
First Projects are Shop Detailing
1970
Dr. James Shellhammer
Dr. James Shellhammer is hired
Bethel Park Office is relocated to Carnegie, PA
1971
Earth Dam Design
First Structural Project, US Post Office Distribution Center, Greentree, PA, 1971
First Geotechnical Engineering Project; Mine Air Shaft for Island Creek Coal
First Dam Design; Island Creek Coal Co.
First Structural Design Project; US Post Office Distribution Center, Greentree, PA
First Inspection Project; Locust Street Bridge, New Kensington, PA
First Project in the Steel Industry; Crane Support for Crucible Steel
1972
Buffalo Creek Dam Failure
Company name changed to Orbital Engineering, Inc.
First Project with J&L Steel; Ohio River Shoreline Improvements, Aliquippa, PA
Orbital performs an engineering review of the Buffalo Creek Dam failure for the Pittston Coal Co.
1974 – 1976
Lockwood Coal Loadout Facility
Upshur County Mine Facility
Major customers are Coal Companies
Orbital designs the remediation of 13 existing impoundments designated as “high-hazard”
Orbital designs more than 50 earth/rock large dams for coal waste sludge and water storage
Orbital designs complex coal loadout facilities
Orbital designs & permits the largest surface coal mining facility in the eastern US for Island Creek Coal
Orbital opens an office in Denver, CO to service the mining industry
1978
Don Henrich
Don Henrich is hired as Civil Department Manager
Orbital discipline staff diversification grows to include Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Geotechnical and Inspection Groups
1981
Coal Storage & Underground Reclaim
The coal industry suffers from a major downturn in business and Orbital expands business in the steel and power industries
Orbital opens a satellite office in Whiting, IN
1982 – 1984
Pittsburgh Office
Orbital headquarters is moved from Carnegie, PA to the current location at 1344 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Orbital purchases first AutoCAD license in Pennsylvania
Orbital opens an office in the Philadelphia, PA area
Bob Lewis starts JobTec to source temporary labor for Orbital and others
1985 – 1990
Ore Bridge Inspection in 1980s
Orbital opens an office in Cleveland, OH
Major customers are LTV Steel and US Steel
Orbital expands services to the Power, Pulp & Paper, Aluminum and Waste Disposal Industries
Bob Lewis starts Orbital Systems, a single-source provider of automation and system integration solutions to industry
1991
First Quality Management System (QMS) is established
Don Henrich is named President of the Central Division in the Chicago area
1993 – 1999
Paper Mill Project Award
Boiler House Gas Main Resupport
Orbital develops a Critical Structures Management Program for LTV Steel
Orbital diversifies business to serve the Steel, Power, Pulp & Paper, Aluminum, Refinery and Pipeline Industries
The Whiting, IN office is moved to the current location at 3800 179th St, Hammond, IN in 1996
Orbital opens offices in Toledo, OH and Birmingham, AL
2000 – 2003
Ash Landfill
Orbital designs projects in Africa and South America for the Alumina Industry
Orbital purchases SFT in Toledo, OH and establishes Orbital Technical Solutions (OTS) to engineer power generation and electric distribution systems
2005 – 2008
Don Henrich is named President in 2005
The Philadelphia area office moves to the current location at 3618 Hulmeville Rd, Bensalem, PA in 2007
Orbital opens offices in: Detroit, MI; Hibbing, MN; Granite City, IL and Serbia
2009
Highline Trestle Inspection & Repair
Orbital inspects more than existing 8,000 deteriorated or damaged structures for heavy industry during a one (1) year period, which brings the total nation-wide structures inspected by Orbital to more than 100,000. Orbital has more resources and experience in structural inspections and repair than any known company.
2010
Crude Railcar Unloading Facility, Rack
Orbital develops a Condition Based Risk Management Program (CBRM) for structures and structural fireproofing that is totally unique in that it models both condition and risks for structural inspection and repair programs
The Detroit office moves to the current location at 6 Park Lane, Dearborn, MI in 2010
Major customers are in the Steel, Power, Refinery, Chemical and Pipeline Industries
2011
Industrial Water Treatment Plant
The steel industry suffers from a major downturn in business and Orbital expands business in the midstream and downstream oil and gas businesses
Orbital develops an Asset Integrity group to provide inspection and safety services for industrial facilities. Safety services include lifeline designs, arc flash studies, walking/working surface and ladder inspections, and construction safety.
The Asset Integrity group develops web-based software and APP’s to manage inspection data and record field information
2013
Vet Monument
Orbital wins a long-term contract to provide a large on-site staff at a major refinery and expands business for other refineries and chemical plants
Orbital develops Technical Core Teams to standardize and improve discipline efforts, and to contribute to Orbital’s success at work sharing for inter-office projects
2014
Compressor Station Design
Orbital opens an office in the Houston, TX area to continue expansion in oil & gas business
The Hammond Office diversifies Orbital’s business into engineering and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) for the Electric and Gas Transmission and Distribution Industries, and other offices follow
The Granite City office moves to the current location at 227 South Jefferson Ave, St Louis, MO in 2014
2015
The Houston office moves to the current location at 11200 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX in 2015
2016
Orbital Drone in Precipitator Hopper with Close Up Views
Dylan Lewis joins Orbital as Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel
Orbital utilized Drones and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to perform visual, infrared, and other inspections, and to provide mapping volumes, as-built surveys, modeling/dimensioning, and video training aids. These high-tech services are performed through Orbital Technical Solutions (OTS).
2017
Mechanical Inspection
Mechanical-Electrical Inspection
Orbital Grows the Asset Integrity business with more comprehensive mechanical inspections, maintenance engineering and high-tech services
2018
Orbital’s Veteran Owned Business Certificate
Brandon Otis joins Orbital as Chief Financial Officer
Orbital obtains certification as a “Veteran Owned Business” by the National Veteran Business Development Council
2019
Electrical Substation Design
Orbital’s engineering business segments are: Electric & Gas Utility Transmission & Distribution; Downstream Refineries and Chemical Plants; Midstream Pipelines & Terminals; Metals; and Railroad, Port and other Infrastructure
UAV Inspection
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Inspections combined with Alignment Surveys of Crane Runways Orbital Technical Solutions (OTS) provided Asset Integrity Services with use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and survey equipment. The equipment was used to complete visual...
