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In 1972, Dresser Clark’s Turbo and
Reciprocating divisions were combined in Olean. The operations were further streamlined in
1976 by centralizing all machining equipment in Plant I and all assembly and test
operations in Plant II. In 1972, a multimillion dollar test facility was built, with
the capability to test equipment at actual customer working conditions.
In 1972, I-R Compression Services entered the
“contract compression” business where they owned , operated, and maintained the
compression equipment for a monthly fee.
In that same year, Ingersoll-Rand acquired a
facility in Wythenshawe, U.K. for the manufacture of reciprocating and turbo compressors.
That facility was part of Dresser-Rand until 1997.
In 1974, rapid growth in the gas
compressor rental and contract compression markets began. Major oil & gas companies
and independent producers now accepted rental and contract compression as a way to handle
their compression needs.
Meanwhile, the success Terry achieved does not
go unnoticed by other capital equipment machinery manufacturers. Thus in 1974,
Ingersoll-Rand, a leader in the field of pumps and compressors, approached the officers
and directors of Terry with a proposal for acquisition. Terry management agreed that the
merger would advantageously combine their wide-ranging experience with rotating equipment.
In 1975, I-R purchased Walco Lorain in Okmulgee,
Ok. to be used as a small hp packaging and repair facility.
In March 1975, Dresser Clark shipped the
world’s largest centrifugal compressor, the 9B, which was capable of handling
360,000 cubic feet of air per minute.
In 1976, Dresser Clark
accomplished another first - “the highest pressure test ever.” The
centrifugal compressor was tested at 10,500 psi.
| Compressor test of 10,500 psi. |
In 1979, McGraw-Edison Company
purchased Studebaker-Worthington making Turbodyne, overnight, part of a major international company.
In 1980, I-R purchased Knight Industries, Inc.
of Broken Arrow, Ok., acquiring their packaging facility and their K-line compressors and
additional rental fleet.
 
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