UtilX Corporation is based in Kent Washington, a suburb of Seattle.
While UtilX' core business today is cable rejuvenation utilizing CableCURE® injection, UtilX was originally founded as FlowMole® Corporation and began commercial operations in 1984. Originally, the company performed research and development on commercial applications of fluid jet cutting technology, resulting in the manufacture of its first product: a guided, fluid jet drilling system.
The first commercial application of this new system, the FlowMole drilling system, occurred in June 1985 for Pacific Bell in Stockton, California. The next month, July 1985, Jersey Central Power and Light contracted with FlowMole to replace 11,000 feet of cable.
FlowMole's customer base grew rapidly following these successful projects. By 1987, UtilX was replacing an average of 150,000 feet of cable per month.
In April 1987, FlowMole received the prestigious No-Dig '86 Award, presented by the International Society for Trenchless Technology in London, England. The award honored the most notable advancement or achievement in trenchless technology worldwide. National recognition included UtilX' listing in the 1989 INC. "100 Ranking of America's Fastest Growing Small Public Companies," and being named in November 1990 to Forbes Magazine's "The 200 Best Small Companies in America".
In 1991, FlowMole purchased exclusive rights to CableCURE fluids developed by Dow Corning. These proprietary silicone fluids restore and extend the life of water-damaged electrical and aircore telephone cable by at least 20 years. To better reflect the firm's diverse business operations, the company changed its name from FlowMole to UtilX in 1991.
In the fall of 2000, the InfrastruX Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Puget Energy, the largest utility company in the Pacific Northwest, acquired UtilX. By this time the CableCURE injection business had grown to become the core business of UtilX.
In 2006, InfrastruX was acquired by Tenaska Power Fund, L.P. (TPF). According to Forbes Magazine, Tenaska is among the twenty-two largest private companies in the U.S.
In 2007, UtilX acquired the assets of the CableWISE® condition assessment business from DTE Energy Technology, a non-utility subsidiary of DTE Energy Co.
In 2010, InfrastruX was acquired by Willbros Group, Inc. (NYSE:WG), an independent contractor serving the oil, gas, power, refining and petrochemical industries, providing engineering, construction, turnaround, maintenance, life cycle extension services and facilities development and operations services to industry and government entities worldwide. For more information on Willbros, please visit www.willbros.com.
UtilX is now aligned with the Utility Transmission & Distribution Segment of Willbros.