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BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) traces its history all the way back to the 1850s with the invention of the water tube boiler. Operating for many years as a part of The Babcock & Wilcox Company, we have long been at the forefront of the commercial nuclear power generation and government nuclear industries - indeed, we’re proud to have achieved an impressive number of firsts in both businesses. In 2015, The Babcock & Wilcox Company spun off its power generation business to allow BWXT to focus on government and nuclear operations.
Trademarks of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“B&W”) are used with permission, and such use does not indicate any endorsement by B&W of BWXT products or services or affiliation between the companies.
A Timeline of BWX Technologies, Inc.
1856
Stephen Wilcox patented the water tube boiler
1867
Stephen Wilcox and George Babcock established Babcock, Wilcox & Company
1879
Published the first edition of Steam: its generation and use. It is the longest continuously published engineering text of its kind in the world, now in its 42nd edition
1881
First central electrical station in the US, operated by the Brush Electric Light Company in Philadelphia, is powered by four 73-horsepower B&W boilers
1882
Thomas Edison’s Pearl Street Station in New York City, powered by four B&W boilers, ushered in the concept of a public utility and the age of electricity for lighting, transportation and industry
1888
Thomas Edison wrote that the B&W boiler is “the best boiler god has permitted man yet to make”
1889
Marine boiler business is launched with the installation of a new boiler built for Stephen Wilcox’s steam yacht Reverie
1891
B&W’s international business was consolidated with the founding of Babcock & Wilcox Limited, headquartered in London, England. The US-based B&W retained no management interest in Babcock & Wilcox Limited
1893
Stephen Wilcox died in November. George Babcock died 19 days later.
1902
New York City's first subway powered by B&W boilers
1906
Purchased the Stirling Consolidated Boiler Company plant in Barberton, Ohio, to manufacture boilers for industrial applications
1907
Teddy Roosevelt's Great White Fleet powered by B&W boilers
1923
B&W and Goldie-McCulloch incorporated in Canada, setting the stage for the company’s eventual establishment of Babcock & Wilcox Canada, Ltd., located in Cambridge, Ontario
1930
Contracted to construct penstocks for Hoover Dam
1943–1945
Provided components, materials and process development for Manhattan Project
1946
Awarded first contract to research propulsion systems for US Navy
1949
Awarded contracts to design and build boilers for the SS United States, the first American superliner
1953–1955
Designed and fabricated components for USS Nautilus, world’s first nuclear-powered submarine
1956–1957
Manufactured components for the first full-scale peacetime nuclear power plant in the US – the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania
1956
Designed and built first privately licensed commercial Critical Experiment Laboratory and began operations at Lynchburg Research Center, the first privately financed US nuclear facility
1957
Constructed first supercritical pressure coal-fired boiler
1958
Began fabricating research and test reactor fuel for universities and national laboratories
1959
World’s first nuclear merchant ship NS Savannah is launched with a B&W-manufactured nuclear reactor
1962
Designed and furnished reactor systems for Indian Point, thus entering commercial nuclear market
1962
Site at Mount Vernon, Indiana, developed for manufacturing large, heavy nuclear steam supply components
1964
Concluded design work on Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL)
1966
Initiated design and fabrication of components for Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
1975
Designed and built components for liquid metal fast breeder reactor
1978
Acquired by J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc.
1981–1985
Decontaminated and decommissioned first commercial plutonium laboratory in the US
1987
Awarded contract to design space nuclear thermal propulsion system
1991
Selected to manage and operate Specific Manufacturing Capability (SMC) at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory
1993
Issued patent for solar bi-modal space power and propulsion system
1993
Awarded management and operating contract of Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of DynMcDermott
1993
Initiated design and fabrication of heavy-equipment components for Virginia-class submarine
1994
Awarded first major US Department of Energy site management and operating contract at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory as part of winning team
1995
Awarded contract to downblend HEU (Highly Enriched Uranium) from Project Sapphire
1997
Awarded first prime contract from the US Department of Energy to manage and operate the Mound Site in Ohio
1999
Awarded contract to develop fuel cells and hydrogen reformers for US Navy
2000
Awarded contract to manage and operate Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas
2000
B&W and some subsidiaries file a voluntary petition in the US Bankruptcy Court to reorganize under Chapter 11
2003
Supported development of reactor plant for Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO)
2004
Awarded contract to manage and operate Idaho National Laboratory as part of Battelle Energy Alliance
2005
Awarded contract to manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory as part of Los Alamos National Security, LLC
2006
Began developing oxy-fuel technology for carbon capture at fossil-fueled power plants
2007
Consolidated B&W and BWXT operations under the name The Babcock & Wilcox Company.
2007
Acquired Marine Mechanical Corporation in Euclid, Ohio
2008
Acquired Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. in Erwin, Tennessee, as a subsidiary
2009
Began small modular reactor design for commercial nuclear industry
2010
Spun off from McDermott International as standalone, publicly traded company
2010
Awarded contract by the US Department of Energy for uranium conversion operations at the Paducah and Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plants
2011
Provided consulting services for nuclear reactor recovery efforts at Fukushima, Japan
2011
Awarded management and operating contract at US Department of Energy’s Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project
2011
Awarded Waste-to-Energy power generation plant contracts in West Palm Beach, Florida
2014
Signed Memorandum of Understanding for support for the development of TerraPower’s Generation IV traveling wave reactor
2015
B&W spun off power generation business. Government and nuclear operations continue under BWX Technologies, Inc.
2015
BWXT rings bell at NYSE - Dec. 2015
2016
BWXT completes acquisition of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada, Inc. joint venture, renamed BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. (BWXT NEC)
2017
BWXT awarded $18.8 million contract from NASA to initiate conceptual designs for a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor
2018
Acquired Sotera Health’s Nordion medical isotope business to support breakthrough isotope technology
2020
Acquired Laker Energy Products, Inc. to broaden our portfolio of CANDU® components.
2021
BWXT awarded $21 billion contract from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for environmental management operations at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina
2022
BWXT awarded contract from U.S. Department of Defense to build the first advanced nuclear microreactor in the United States.
2022
Jan Bertsch elected as first female board chair in BWXT's history
2022
BWXT completes acquisition of Cunico and Dynamic Controls, Ltd. to expand and enhance core naval nuclear manufacturing business by adding highly-engineered, proprietary valves, manifolds and fittings for global shipbuilding
2023
BWXT awarded contract to provide nuclear reactor engine and fuel for DARPA space project