View source for EG&G

{{Short description|Defunct U.S. national defense contractor (1947–2010)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name                = EG&G
| former_name = Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc.
| logo                = EG&G (logo).png
| logo_size           = 250px
| logo_caption        = 
| type                = 
| industry            = {{ubl|Photography|Government services}}
| founded             = {{Start date and age|1947}}
| founders             = {{ubl|[[Doc Edgerton|Harold Eugene "Doc" Edgerton]]|Kenneth Germeshausen|[[Herbert E. Grier]]}}
| defunct             = {{End date|2010|01|01}}
| fate = Merger
| successors = <!-- or: | successors = --> {{ubl|[[URS Corporation]]|[[AECOM]]}}
| hq_location = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]]
| hq_location_city = 
| hq_location_country = United States
| area_served         = <!-- or: | areas_served = -->
| key_people          = 
| products            = {{ubl|[[Krytron]]|[[Rapatronic camera]]}}
| owner               = <!-- or: | owners = -->
| num_employees       = 
| num_employees_year  = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) -->
| parent              = 
| website             = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}

'''EG&G''', formally known as '''Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier''', Inc., was a [[United States]] national [[defense contractor]] and provider of management and technical services. The company was involved in contracting services to the United States government during [[World War II]] and conducted weapons [[research and development]] during the [[Cold war era]] (from 1948 and onward).{{r|MisslesAndRocket_19650118|page=[https://archive.org/details/missilesrockets1619unse/page/n95 3]}} It had close involvement with some of the government's most sensitive technologies.

== History ==
=== Early history ===
In 1931, [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) professor [[Harold Edgerton]], a pioneer of [[high-speed photography]], partnered with his graduate student Kenneth Germeshausen to found a small technical consulting firm.{{r|Edgerton_1931}} The two were joined by fellow MIT graduate student [[Herbert E. Grier]] in 1934. Bernard "Barney" O'Keefe became the fourth member of their fledgling technology group.

The group's high-speed photography was used to image [[Nuclear weapon design#Implosion-type weapon|implosion]] tests during the [[Manhattan Project]]. The same skills in precisely timed high-power electrical pulses also formed a key enabling technology for nuclear weapon triggers. After the war, the group continued their association with the burgeoning military nuclear effort and formally incorporated Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc. in 1947.{{r|EG&G_1947}}

=== 1950s and 1960s ===
During the 1950s and 1960s, EG&G was involved in [[nuclear testing|nuclear tests]] as a major contractor for the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|Atomic Energy Commission]]. EG&G made extensive use of the [[Nevada Test Site]] (NTS) for weapons development and high-technology military testing at [[Nellis AFB]]. EG&G has shared operations responsibility for the NTS with [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |Livermore Labs]], [[Raytheon|Raytheon Services Nevada]], Reynolds Electrical and Engineering (REECO) and others. Subsequently, EG&G expanded its range of services, providing facilities management, technical services, security, and pilot training for the U.S. military and other government departments. EG&G builds a variety of sensing, detection and imaging products including [[night vision equipment]], sensors for detection of nuclear material and chemical and biological weapons agents, and a variety of acoustic sensors. The company also supplies microwave and electronic components to the government, security systems, and systems for electronic warfare and mine countermeasures.

=== 1970s and 1980s ===
During the 1970s and 1980s, the company, then led by O'Keefe, diversified by acquisition into the fields of paper making, instrumentation for scientific, marine, environmental and geophysical users, automotive testing, fans and blowers, frequency control devices and other components including [[Bucket-brigade device|BBD]] and [[Charge-coupled device|CCD]] technology via their [[Reticon]] division. In the late 1980s and early 1990s most of these divisions were sold, and on 28 May 1999, the non-government side of EG&G Inc.; formerly {{nyse2|EGG}}; purchased the Analytical Instruments Division of [[PerkinElmer]] for {{US$|425}}{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|425|1999|r=2}}{{nbsp}}million in {{Inflation/year|US}}), also assuming the PerkinElmer name ({{nyse2|PKI}}).{{r|peceoletter}}{{r|nyt990715|p=[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/15/business/company-news-perkin-elmer-cuts-12-of-work-force.html C-4]|quote=Perkin-Elmer, formerly Perkin-Elmer Analytical Instruments, was acquired in June for $425 million by the EG&G Corporation.}} At the time EG&G was based in [[Wellesley, Massachusetts]], and made products for diverse industries including automotive, medical, aerospace and photography.{{r|nyt990715|p=[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/15/business/company-news-perkin-elmer-cuts-12-of-work-force.html C-4]|quote=EG&G, based in Wellesley, Mass., makes products for the automotive, medical, aerospace and photography industries.}} At least in 1988, there was either a subsidiary or internal department of EG&G dubbed EG & G Biomolecular that produced the Acugen 402 DNA sequencer, the first (and perhaps only) commercially available automated DNA sequencer that used slab gel electrophoresis and radioactive [[Sanger sequencing]].<ref name="z335">{{cite journal | last1=Chait | first1=Edward | last2=Page | first2=Guy | last3=Hunkapiller | first3=Michael | title=Battle of the DNA sequencers | journal=Nature | volume=333 | issue=6172 | date=1988 | issn=0028-0836 | doi=10.1038/333477a0 | pages=477–478| bibcode=1988Natur.333..477C }}</ref>

=== 1999–present ===
From 1999 until 2001, EG&G was wholly owned by [[The Carlyle Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carlyle.com/Portfolio/item7169.html|title=Portfolio: EC&G|publisher=Carlyle Group|access-date=5 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908022011/http://www.carlyle.com/Portfolio/item7169.html|archive-date=8 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In August 2002, the defense-and-services sector of the company was acquired by defense technical-services giant [[URS Corporation]]. URS' EG&G division is headquartered in [[Gaithersburg, Maryland]], and employs over 11,000 people. During its heyday in the 1980s, EG&G had about 35,000 employees.

In December 2009, URS announced its decision to discontinue the use of "EG&G" as a division name. The headquarters issued a press release stating that by January 1, 2010 it would discontinue using secondary corporate brands, including the EG&G name and logo. In the same press release, URS stated that it would also retire two other acquired brands, Washington Group and Lear Siegler. URS Chief Executive Officer Martin Koffel explained the change in an e-mail transmitted to employees: "In today's marketplace, it is essential we present a consistent, unified brand to our customers and achieve the competitive advantages enjoyed by our peers in the industry. ... This change will allow us to present a single brand that is easily understood by our clients". Koffel indicated that the move to a single corporate brand would affect neither the internal organization nor the existing reporting structure. However, EG&G Division would become URS Federal Services.

In 2014, URS was acquired by [[AECOM]]. In January 2020, AECOM sold its Management Services division, which provides services and support to governmental clients, to the private equity firm [[American Securities]] and [[Lindsay Goldberg]] for {{US$|2.405}}{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|2.405|2020|r=2}}{{nbsp}}billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}); the new firm was named [[Amentum (company)|Amentum]].{{r|AECOM_PR_20191014}}<ref>Cornell, Joe. "[https://www.forbes.com/sites/joecornell/2019/10/15/aecom-cancels-spin-off-to-sell-management-services-business-for-24-billion/ AECOM Cancels Spin-Off; To Sell Management Services Business For ~$2.4 Billion]" ''Forbes'' Retrieved 2021-04-07</ref><ref>"[https://aecom.com/management-services-sale/ Management Services Sale]" ''AECOM'' Retrieved 2021-04-07</ref>

== Janet Airlines ==
EG&G's "Special Projects" division was the notable operator of the [[Janet (airline)|Janet Terminal]] at [[McCarran International Airport]] [Now Harry Reid] [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], a service used to transport employees to remote government locations in Nevada and California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreamlandresort.com/info/janet.html|access-date=18 March 2010|title=Dreamland Resort: EG&G|date=18 March 2010}}</ref> EG&G also had a joint venture with [[Raytheon|Raytheon Technical Services]], creating JT3 LLC in 2000, which operates the Joint Range Technical Services contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jt3.com/jt3.asp |access-date=18 March 2010|title=JT3: About JT3 LLC|date=18 March 2010}}</ref>

== Lear Siegler Services, Inc. ==
EG&G Technical Services, Inc. and [[Lear Siegler]] Services, Inc. consolidated, becoming one of the nation's leading U.S. federal government contractors providing operations and maintenance, systems engineering and technical assistance, and program management, primarily to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. The companies are separate legal entities, but share a common management. In December 2009, URS announced its decision to discontinue the Lear Siegler name for this division.

== EG&G's clients ==

{{col-begin|width=60%}}{{col-break}}

* [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|Atomic Energy Commission]]
* [[Area 51]]
* [[Central Intelligence Agency]]
* [[Defense Logistics Agency]]
* [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]
* [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]]
* [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]]
{{col-break}}

* [[United States Department of Transportation|Department of Transportation]]
* [[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]]
* [[NASA]]
* [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
* [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]]
* [[United States Space Command|U.S. Space Command]]
{{col-end}}

== See also ==
* [[Krytron]]
* [[Tactical Control System]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="MisslesAndRocket_19650118">{{cite magazine | author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->  | date = 1965-01-18 | title = EG&G Inc. {{!}} Integrated Capability | url = https://archive.org/stream/missilesrockets1619unse#page/n95/ | url-access = registration | magazine = Missiles and Rockets | language = en | volume = 16 | issue = 3 | page = 3 | issn = 0096-9702 | oclc = 1887163 | access-date = 2023-02-07 | via = [[Internet Archive]] | df = dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="Edgerton_1931">{{cite web | author = <!-- not stated --> | date = n.d. | title = Harold "Doc" Edgerton" {{!}} Strobe in Industry: 1931 – onwards | url = https://edgerton-digital-collections.org/docs-life/strobe-in-industry | url-status = live | website = The Edgerton Digital Collections (EDC) project | language = en-us | publisher = [[MIT Museum]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221207224401/https://edgerton-digital-collections.org/docs-life/strobe-in-industry | archive-date = 2022-12-07 | access-date = 2023-03-02 | quote = Even before the stroboscope was available commercially, Edgerton, Germeshausen, and another of Edgerton’s students, Herbert E. Grier, were hired as consultants by a variety of industries. | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="EG&G_1947">{{cite web | author = <!-- not stated --> | date = n.d. | title = Harold "Doc" Edgerton" {{!}} EG&G the Company: 1947 Onwards | url = https://edgerton-digital-collections.org/docs-life/egg-the-company | url-status = live | website = The Edgerton Digital Collections (EDC) project | language = en-us | publisher = [[MIT Museum]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221203053634/https://edgerton-digital-collections.org/docs-life/egg-the-company | archive-date = 2022-12-03 | access-date = 2023-03-02 | quote = Even before the stroboscope was available commercially, Edgerton, Germeshausen, and another of Edgerton’s students, Herbert E. Grier, were hired as consultants by a variety of industries. | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="peceoletter">{{cite web | last1 = White | first1 = Tony | date = 1999 | title = What Is The Logic Of Biology? A Letter From Tony White To Our Shareholders | url = http://www.applera.com/annualreports/annual99/letter_tony.html | url-status = dead | website = [[Applera]] | language = en-us | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090907001621/http://www.applera.com/annualreports/annual99/letter_tony.html | archive-date = 2009-09-07 | access-date = 2023-03-02 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="nyt990715">{{cite news | author = <!-- not stated --> | date = 1999-07-15 | title = Company News; Perkin-Elmer Cuts 12% Of Work Force | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/15/business/company-news-perkin-elmer-cuts-12-of-work-force.html | url-status = live | work = [[The New York Times]] | language = en-us | edition = National | pages = C-4 | eissn = 1553-8095 | issn = 0362-4331 | lccn = sn00061556 | oclc = 1645522 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180819051226/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/15/business/company-news-perkin-elmer-cuts-12-of-work-force.html | archive-date = 2018-08-19 | access-date = 2023-03-02 | url-access = subscription | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="AECOM_PR_20191014">{{cite press release | author = <!-- not stated --> | date = 2019-10-14 | title = AECOM accelerates value creation strategy with sale of its Management Services business for $2.405 billion | url = https://investors.aecom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/aecom-accelerates-value-creation-strategy-sale-its-management | url-status = live | work = [[AECOM|AΞCOM]] | type = Press release | language = en-us | location = Los Angeles | agency = [[Business Wire]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221129094150/https://investors.aecom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/aecom-accelerates-value-creation-strategy-sale-its-management | archive-date = 2022-11-29 | access-date = 2023-03-02 | quote = LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2019-- AECOM (NYSE:ACM), the world’s premier infrastructure firm, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Management Services (MS) business to affiliates of American Securities LLC and Lindsay Goldberg for a purchase price of $2.405 billion, which reflects an 11.6x multiple on expected fiscal 2019 adjusted EBITDA1 and a premium to AECOM’s overall valuation. | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{cite journal | last1 = Young | first1 = Francis A. | last2 = Biersdorf | first2 = William R. | date = October 1952 | title = An Apparatus for Taking Rapid Photographs of the Pupil in Visual Darkness | journal = [[American Journal of Psychology]] | language = en-us | publisher = [[University of Illinois Press]] | volume = 65 | issue = 4 | pages = 617–618 | doi = 10.2307/1418046 | eissn = 1939-8298 | issn = 0002-9556 | jstor = stable/1418046 | pmid = 12996703 | lccn = 05035765 | oclc = 38376431 | df = dmy-all }}
*{{cite journal | last1 = Sandford II | first1 = Maxwell T. | last2 = Gow | first2 = Charles E. | last3 = Honeycutt | first3 = R. Kent | last4 = Jekowski | first4 = John P. | last5 = Olivas | first5 = Peter N. | date = February 1977 | title = Near-Infrared Vidicon Images Of CIT Fields | journal = [[Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific]] | language = en | volume = 89 | issue = 527 | pages = 31–34 | doi = 10.1086/130065 | eissn = 0004-6280 | issn = 1538-3873 | jstor = stable/40676067 | bibcode = 1977PASP...89...31S | s2cid = 122908860 | df = dmy-all }}
{{refend}}

[[Category:Technology companies established in 1947]]
[[Category:Companies based in Gaithersburg, Maryland]]
[[Category:Instrument-making corporations]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Maryland]]
[[Category:Former defense companies of the United States]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:EGandG}}
[[Category:The Carlyle Group companies]]