The Welder’s Bench
Bolton-Emerson Americas
The Welder’s Bench
Bolton-Emerson Americas (BEA) is a 100+ year old machining company serving primarily the paper pulping industry. From their founding in 1905 until around 2015, they called Lawrence, MA their home. They were located on Market Street, along the railroad tracks, where their pulping machinery could be loaded onto freight cars to be hauled up north.
For a few months in 2010 and 2011 I had full access to BEA’s Lawrence machine shop on Market Street. I was invited to roam the facility freely and photograph whatever I pleased. It started as something that was kind of cool to do, but quickly became a passion project.
I became acquainted with all aspects of the operation, from woodworking, to machining, to heat treatment. None of BEA’s machinery was older than the 1970s, and some dated back to the 1920s. The atmosphere was industrial 1960s. It was truly a time capsule.
Once a week or so on this blog, I will post an image from BEA, starting with this one. This is the welder’s bench.