Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Coulstring.
Matt, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Triangle Engineering, Inc. (TEI) is a family-owned business, founded in 1960 by brothers Bob & Alec Coulstring. Combining their talents and experience in welding and mechanical engineering, the company has established a national reputation for supplying the welding industry with materials, equipment and consulting for welder training, performance testing, and weld procedure qualification. Triangle Engineering started as a machine shop completing various industrial repair work; such as machining hard faced valve spools, pump shafts and conveyor screws. The shop grew to take on larger projects like repairing amusement park rides t at the late Paragon Park on Hull’s Nantasket Beach, constructing an underwater research buoy for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, fabricating process components for Ocean Spray Cranberries, and building ultra-high vacuum systems for NASA and the U.S. Air Force. Through experience gained from consulting and servicing clients in the power generation industry, TEI realized the urgent demand for reducing the time and cost required to qualify welders using conventional testing methods. To solve this time consuming and costly problem TEI designed, patented and manufactured destructive test equipment that expedites the removal and bending of weld test specimens in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel, American Welding Society, American Petroleum Institute and other governing welding codes.
When the demand for the destructive test equipment was realized TEI founders identified the industry need for readily available test materials used for welder qualification testing. From the interpretation of the various welding code requirements, TEI established standard weld coupons sizes in pipe and plate then began producing and stocking them regularly. Today, after 57 years in business, Triangle Engineering, Inc. is in its third generation of family ownership. TEI continues to remain an industry leader in the manufacture of weld coupons for welder qualification and also carries a complete line of procedure test materials. TEI’s line of destructive test equipment continues to provide its expansive customer base with the means to qualify its welding workforce quickly and accurately. TEI weld engineering and consulting throughout the years has also proven highly valuable within the industry as related to the application of a wide variety of procedure qualification materials. In addition, we provide a full range of testing services utilized by many organizations within the industry. We are an AWS QC4 Accredited Test Facility.
Has it been a smooth road?
Business was steady and running well until the evening of September 18, 1992, which was also founder Bob Coulstring’s birthday. Two would be thieves broke into Triangle’s office in an attempt to steal the safe, presumably the same two thieves that stole a safe from the office few months prior. What the thieves didn’t know was that the new safe was much larger and had been bolted through the floor. This did not deter the thieves, instead they took a blow torch from the machine shop and attempted to flame cut the bolts loose. In the process the thieves started a fire the destroyed the entire office and damaged much of the machine shop. The catastrophic fire did not keep the company down for long. The Company quickly relocated its office up the street to continue sales efforts. Employees work seven days a week and family members volunteered for months to help with the fire cleanup and rebuilding effort. Much of the office records were lost in the fire but luckily all of the patented equipment fabrication drawings were salvaged and hung out on clothespins to dry after the firefight. About a year after the fire Triangle’s office and machine shop areas were rebuilt and the company had a bright outlook on the future.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Triangle Engineering story. Tell us more about the business.
Triangle Engineering, Inc. has established a national reputation for supplying the welding industry with equipment and consulting for welder testing, welder training, and procedure qualification. Triangle Engineering features the manufacture of pipe and plate weld coupons used for welder performance and weld procedure qualification testing. The construction industries largest contractors source their material needs from Triangle for their welder testing needs on projects across the globe. Triangle’s destructive test equipment expedites the weld qualification testing process in accordance with various welding codes that govern the industry. The Weld Coupon Abrasive Cutter is utilized by many utilities who are constantly performing plant maintenance work and needing welders qualified. The Hydraulic Wrap Around Bender is by welding schools to international testing organizations and is referred to by many as the “Heart Breaker” when a welding test is failed. Being a successful 3rd generation family business and considered a leader in our niche industry is what we take pride in. When a customer contacts us hoping to locate a “hard to find” material and we tell them it’s in stock and can ship same day that makes not only their day but our day as well. The foundation of our company success was built on a welding industry knowledge that can’t be taught, only earned and passed along from generation to generation. Minimal lead times, exceptional customer service and continual quality assurance has helped us to retain loyal customers for decades while gaining new customers by referral.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6 Industrial Way, Hanover, MA 02339
- Website: www.trieng.com
- Phone: 781-878-1500
- Email: info@trieng.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TriangleEngineeringInc/
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