The History of Exponent®, Inc.
In April 1967, five Ph.D.-level researchers, with expertise in materials science, engineering mechanics, and structural analysis, decided to start a consulting business called Failure Analysis Associates(r) (FaAA). By the early 1970s, FaAA's work for the energy industry in stress and fracture mechanics-how things crack and break-brought the company national recognition. Within a few years, we were investigating and analyzing accidents and failures of all kinds. People began to talk about our work in structural and stress analysis, mechanical engineering, materials engineering and metallurgy, transportation and utilities, the process industry, and risk analysis.
In 1989, a holding company for FaAA was formed, called The Failure Group, Inc. The Failure Group went public in August 1990, trading on NASDAQ under the symbol FAIL. During the 1990s, we began looking to develop alliances with companies that offered services complementary to those already offered by FaAA.
In late 1996, The Failure Group acquired Environmental Health Strategies. Founded in 1989, Environmental Health Strategies (now Exponent Health Sciences) applies epidemiology and medical expertise to corporate health issues.
In May 1997, The Failure Group acquired Performance Technologies, Inc. (dba PTI Environmental Services). PTI (now Exponent Environmental) was founded in 1987. The acquisition of PTI allowed The Failure Group to provide environmental science and engineering services to a variety of industries.
Soon, we realized that the firm was offering a broader range of services than just our traditional "failure analysis," and the name of our organization needed a change. In March of 1998, we changed our name to Exponent, meaning "one who expounds or interprets" - which is exactly what we are best at!
In May 2002, Exponent acquired Novigen Sciences, Inc. Novigen (now Exponent Food & Chemicals) introduced regulatory expertise in the areas of food, pesticides, chemicals, biochemicals, microbials, and products of biotechnology.
In June 2005, Exponent opened its first office in China. Exponent Science and Technology Consulting Co., Ltd. (Hangzhou), also known as Exponent China Ltd., is located in the Hangzhou Hi-Tech Development Zone, and provides engineering and scientific consulting services to meet the increasing demand for technical support to U.S. and international companies operating in East Asia.
Today, Exponent offers more than 70 different disciplines through a network of 18 offices and 3 international locations. Our staff totals approximately 700 and includes more than 200 Ph.D.s and M.D.s.
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