Check out these historical photos, as Victaulic celebrates 100 years of innovation

Oct 27, 2023

After its founding, and for two decades to come, Victaulic was a sales and marketing company. Here, early sales associates take to the streets. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

It's "Innoversary" day at Victaulic, the international pipe solution company based in Forks Township.

April 4, 1919, is when Lt. Ernest Tribe filed the first patent for The Victory Joint, the first mechanical bolted coupling to join grooved pipe ends, Victaulic says. Three years later, in 1922, The Victory Pipe Joint Co. Ltd. founded by Tribe and other investors in London was renamed The Victaulic Co. Ltd., combining the words "victory" and "hydraulic."

That first joint is now known as the Victaulic coupling, an invention that enabled critical piping infrastructure to be installed more quickly, safely and cost effectively than traditional methods, according to Victaulic. While first devised for military applications, the coupling went on to revolutionize the construction industry, according to the company.

Today, the company says it continues to develop and patent groundbreaking technologies, with a current portfolio of more than 2,000 patented solutions that transform the building and industrial construction industries, while driving new industry standards in performance and safety.

"For 100 years, Victaulic's reputation has been built on customer collaboration, delivering new technologies that enable productivity, and reducing risk across the construction lifecycle," Victaulic Chairman, President and CEO John F. Malloy said in a statement. "Our Centennial ‘Innoversary’ is not only an opportunity to look back on our achievements, it's also great motivation to make our next century even more valuable for our customers and rewarding for our employees."

Newport Gas Co., UK, 1927. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

One billion of Victaulic's solutions have been installed around the world, in some of the world's most important, iconic and ground-breaking construction projects, including the Hoover Dam, Eiffel Tower, Beijing Olympic Stadium, Petronas Towers, Hudson Yards and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home to this year's Super Bowl LIII.

The company employs 4,000 people among 37 branches, 13 manufacturing facilities and five foundries around the world. They serve customers in 120 countries with a variety of application solutions across diverse industries, such as commercial buildings, oil, gas and chemical facilities, power generation facilities, mining operations and municipal and clean water operations, the company says.

Victaulic has been part of the Lehigh Valley business community for almost 40 years, after having first been headquartered in New York City.

WATCH: Victaulic torches 2 'living rooms' to show how quickly fire spreads

Thursday's "Innoversary" coincides with ongoing expansions and investments that will add close to 1 million square feet to Victaulic's manufacturing operations, according to the company. That includes a new 400,000-square-foot facility set to open in 2020 on 28 acres in Lower Nazareth Township. That project resulted from increased domestic demand for the company's products and the company's desire to manufacture its products in close proximity to its customers, Victaulic says.

Additional global expansions include the company's facilities in Dalian, China; Drezdenko, Poland; and Ontario, Canada.

"Our next 100 years will include more customer-centric innovation as technology grows more rapidly than ever before and we continue to make strategic R&D investments," Malloy stated. "Our company is an exceptional place to work because of the dedication of our employees and a shared passion for customer excellence across the entire global Victaulic family."

For more about the "Innoversary," check out the company's timeline at victaulic.com and scroll through more historical images below, shared by the company. As part of its 100-year celebration, the company invites social media users to share images of Victaulic products they spot with the hashtag #iSpyVic. Images identified with a geotag or location may be added to the company's "Mapping Success" section of its celebratory "100 Years of Innovation" website.

From the beginning, Victaulic says it recognized the importance of hands-on demonstrations and building customer relations. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

A number of new products were introduced in the 1930s to accommodate the needs of the various industries including but not limited to elbow joints, tee joints and lateral joints. One important development during this period was an improved gasket for the sleeve coupling known then as the Johnson coupling. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Victaulic collaborated with the Beaver Tool Company to introduce a pioneering portable tool for grooving pipe, called the Vic-Groover tool. Now, instead of having to groove pipe in a large pipe shop, customers could cut and groove pipe on-site with a lightweight tool that orbited the pipe. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

In 1967, Victaulic bought its largest malleable iron casting supplier, Lehigh Inc., in Easton, Pennsylvania. The purchase provided cost advantages as well as steady casting supply. It also increased the company's workforce from 125 to 900 employees. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

A Victaulic stand at a trade show. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Victaulic large diameter coupling, developed in the United Kingdom in the 1920s. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Victaulic large diameter coupling, developed in the United Kingdom in the 1920s. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Victaulic large diameter coupling, developed in the United Kingdom in the 1920s. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Lehigh Inc., located along the riverbank in Easton, was Victaulic's largest available iron casting supplier. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

24-inch air receiver built by Victaulic. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

In the early 1920s, the oil and gas industry was quick to adopt Victaulic couplings. Roxana Petroleum Corp., a crude oil and natural gas company installed Victaulic solutions on its pipeline. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Customer visit 1975. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Victaulic broke ground in 1976 to construct its foundry and world headquarters office, on 84 acres of farmland in Forks Township, outside Easton, Pennsylvania. Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Lehigh Inc., located along the riverbank in Easton, was Victaulic's largest available iron casting supplier. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

1920 Victaulic coupling. Forks Township-based Victaulic on April 4, 2019, marks 100 years of what it calls customer-focused innovation, or its 100th "Innoversary." (Courtesy Victaulic | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.