Helmut Thielsch, (1922 – 2003), founder of Thielsch Engineering was born in Berlin, Germany. Mr. Thielsch came to the United States from his home in Germany at age 16. Shortly before the start of World War II, his family sent him to East Texas to live with his maternal aunt and uncle. There he quickly learned English in order to complete his high school education. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University. He attended Lehigh University from 1947 to 1949 and completed all the required courses for a Master of Engineering degree. Due to financial circumstances he had to leave in 1949 without obtaining his degree.

More than 50 years later, however, on January 21, 2003, Mr. Thielsch received his degree. Lehigh officials, led by G. Slade Cargill III, Chairman of the Materials Science and Engineering Department came to Thielsch’s Cranston headquarters and awarded Mr. Thielsch his Master of Engineering degree. In a commendatory letter Lehigh President, Gregory Farrington spoke highly of Mr. Thielsch’s contributions to the field of engineering. “Your perseverance in pursuing your degree reflects your approach to life. Leaving campus without your degree in 1949 was undoubtedly difficult, as was starting and building your company to the success it has become. The qualities you possess are those we hope to instill in all Lehigh students.”

Mr. Thielsch never let obstacles deter his path in life. Whether it was coming to a new country as a teenager required to learn a new language or becoming an entrepreneur and starting his own company at an age when most men would be retiring, everything was an adventure, an exciting experience. Interviewed in 2002 by the “Providence Business News”, he said, “The field of engineering is always providing new challenges. It is a wonderful opportunity to come to work and use your noodle.”

Before founding Thielsch Engineering he was the Vice-President of Research Development and Engineering at Grinnell Manufacturing and ITT Grinnell Corporation, where he was employed from 1954 to 1984. Prior employment experience included Allis
Chalmers Manufacturing; Black, Sivalls and Bryson; Lukens Steel Corporation; and the Welding Research Council.

In 1984, while at ITT Grinnell, Mr. Thielsch was asked to downsize his department from a staff of 65 to nine. He immediately prepared a list of downsized employees and put his own name on the top. He founded Thielsch Engineering Inc. a short time later with six former Grinnell employees. In four years, the company grew into a $5 million dollar operation. The company today has over 300 employees with more than $45 million in revenues and has customers worldwide. The success of Thielsch Engineering can be directly attributed to Mr. Thielsch’s passion for engineering and his dedication to the company. He instilled in senior managers his two overriding goals: never stop growing the business and be responsive to the company’s customers.

During his career, Mr. Thielsch wrote more than 200 professional and engineering articles on failure analysis, piping and pressure vessel materials, quality assurance, testing, and many other topics. He authored the book Defects and Failures in Pressure Vessels and Piping which is extensively used as a reference book of material failures. Translations have been published in Spanish and German.

Mr. Thielsch was a lecturer at conferences on failures and failure prevention sponsored by various universities, such as the University of Wisconsin, the University of Pennsylvania, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute of New York, the University of Missouri, New York University, University of North Carolina and University of Connecticut. He lectured at conferences sponsored by major engineering societies including ASME, ASM, AWS, ASTM, ASNT, ASQC, AMS and the Mexican Petroleum Institute. He also presented special engineering seminars in Jakarta, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

During his outstanding career in engineering Mr. Thielsch’s abilities and skills were often acknowledged by his peers and engineering societies. Mr. Thielsch was elected by the American Society for Metals to the FELLOW membership. This was in recognition for “his distinguished contributions in the field of metals and materials.” He was also recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, the American Board of Forensic Examiners and the American College of Forensic Examiners.

Additional honors included the Third Annual Safety Award and Medal from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors for his contributions to the boiler and pressure vessel industry.

Mr. Thielsch served on major committees writing national Codes and Standards, including the Committee on the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). He was a member of the Component Technology Committee of the Argonne National Laboratory which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. He served as a consultant to the Advisory Committee for the Reactor Safeguards of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and was retained as an expert by the Commission.

He was also a member of the Fabrication, Inspection and Testing Committee, Pressure Vessel and Piping Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He was Chairman of the Metallurgical Engineering Committee of the Pipe Fabrication Institute. Mr. Thielsch was a member of the Failure Analysis Committee of the Materials Testing and Quality Control Division of ASM International. He was a member of the Sigma Xi Honorary Scientific Research Society and is profiled in “Who’s Who in America”, “Who’s Who in the East” and “Who’s Who in Engineering”.

Among Mr. Thielsch’s many honors is the John J. Tuohy Businessman of the Year 2000 Award from the City of Cranston. In 2002 he was chosen for the Business Leadership Award presented by the “Providence Business News”.

After Mr. Thielsch’s death in May 2003, Tom Lent became Thielsch Engineering’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lent stated, at the time, that “as the company moves through this sad and difficult time, all business concerns at Thielsch will continue in the manner Helmut would expect of us. It is the best tribute we can pay to his memory.”

 

Summary of Helmut Thielsch’s accomplishments

• Elected by American Society for Metals to the FELLOW membership grade in recognition of his “distinguished contributions in the field of metals and materials.” He has been similarly recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, as well as the American Board of Forensic Examiners and the American College of Forensic Examiners.

• He has received the official recognition of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers as “qualified in one or more phases of the field of corrosion engineering”

• Received the Comfort A. Adams Lecture Award from the American Welding Society for his “attainments in the Science and Art of Welding” and the 1984 Freeman Award from the Providence Engineering Society for “outstanding contribution in the field of engineering”

• Earned the Third Annual Safety Award and Medal from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors for contribution to the boiler and pressure vessel industry

• Author of a book published in several languages as well as more than 200 articles related to his field. He has also prepared major chapters for handbooks published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Welding Society, the American Society for Metals and the Piping Handbook, which is recognized as the foremost reference handbook in the piping industry

• Providence Business News 2002 Business Leadership Award Winner.