Fischer Technical Services

FTS owner and Principal Consultant, Robert L. Fischer, was working as electrical maintenance superintendent for a 2,000-employee ACF Industries railroad car manufacturing plant. He was also leading the design, installation and maintenance of sophisticated control systems for automated welding lines, automated material handling, computer-numeric-controlled lathes, plasma cutting machines, robot work cells and remotely-controlled cranes and locomotives. He was concurrently an "automation consultant" to ACF manufacturing plants in Milton, Pennsylvania and St. Louis, Missouri.

Plant manager, Frank Pulcrano, was both active and popular in local management circles. As he would hear his counterparts lamenting efforts to solve their complex electrical and control problems, Frank not only recommended they consult Bob, he would encourag Bob to solve those problems. Word quickly spread that there was a local engineer with the skills to troubleshoot and repair CNC machines, plasma cutting machines, induction heaters and PLC controls. Doing a few favors for the plant manager's buddies soon developed into enough of a part-time business that the West Virginia Attorney General sent Bob a letter demanding he obtain a business license.

The license application required a name for the business. In 1979, the primary function of "the business" was simply providing troubleshooting, repair and technical assistance for industrial control systems. At that time, however, Bob was 32 years old and studying for a Professional Engineering license examination. He anticipated adding "applied science" and "design engineering" services to the business. Fischer Technical Services was chosen as a name that would continue to describe the company into the future.