The
history of Watson, Inc. goes back to the 1920’s when Verne Watson started a house
moving business in Fort Worth, Texas. His activities increased over time to encompass
moving other types of structures and industrial machinery. Lift cranes were added to the
equipment fleet over time, and with this additional capacity, the company expanded into
steel erection, largely setting steel girders for bridges for the Texas Highway
Department. Instability in
the types of foundation supports being used at that time resulted in the Watson’s
working with the highway department to develop and test the use of drilled shaft (pier)
foundations for bridges.
Verne adapted some of the
lift cranes to the purpose of drilling shafts and expanded his drilled shaft operations.
By the mid 1950’s, his company was working as Watson Foundation Company and the
operations consisted almost exclusively of drilled shaft contracting with equipment
manufacturing for his own company’s needs. The Watson Foundation Company operated out
of offices in Fort Worth, Denver, and Atlanta.
By the early 1960’s,
Verne and his son Jack saw a demand from other drilling contractors, primarily in export
markets, for the drilling equipment they were designing and manufacturing for themselves.
They established Watson Manufacturing Company with the first sale in 1965 to a U.K.
company.
Between 1965 and 1973, the
Watson’s migrated out of drilled shaft contracting and devoted all resources to the
design, manufacture, and sale of foundation drilling equipment. All operations were based
in Fort Worth, Texas as Watson Incorporated.
Verne Watson and his son
Jack Watson were instrumental in pioneering and gaining acceptance of the use of drilled
shaft foundations. The Watson’s have been on the leading edge of the drilled shaft
industry for over 67 years. Experience as contractors, educators, and manufacturers of a
wide range of drilling equipment, the highest quality of workmanship, and a policy of
excellence in service has made Watson Drill Rigs a standard in the construction industry
for many years.
