Victaulic marks 100 years since first patent

Victaulic headquarters in Easton, Pa.

Victaulic, Easton, Pa., celebrates 100 years since it was granted its first industry patent for mechanical pipe joining products.

In 1919, Lt. Ernest Tribe filed the first patent for The Victory Joint, the first mechanical bolted coupling to join grooved pipe ends. Now known as the Victaulic coupling, the invention enabled critical piping infrastructure to be installed more quickly, safely, and cost-effectively than traditional methods.

Today the company employs 4,000 people at 37 branches, 13 manufacturing facilities, and five foundries worldwide, serving 120 countries. It also has announced plans to open a 400,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing center in Lehigh Valley, Pa., in 2020.