For over 70 years, McLaughlin Research Corporation has established a reputation as a trusted provider of life cycle engineering and technical services for our customers. Started in 1941 by Charles McLaughlin, the company became incorporated in 1947 and continued to expand its services and customer base. Today, the company is still a family-owned business offering service to a wide range of customers.
The story of how we got to where we are today is one of persistence and continual growth, with innovative leadership and flexibility backing us since our inception.
1941
- In 1941, McLaughlin Research was founded under the name of McLaughlin-Carr Associates.
- The firm’s original activity was in engineering and design of airports where they devised a plan to speed up construction through the use of visual assembly charts (production illustrations).
1942
- By 1942, this plan worked so well that we conducted similar projects for the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia and the Bureau of Ordnance throughout the World War II.
1944
- The Navy asked McLaughlin-Carr to run a valuable fire control system project that was nearly 75 percent completed. The firm successfully operated the program until the system went into production by General Electric.
- Our efforts in this project led to McLaughlin-Carr receiving the Naval Ordnance Award from the U.S. Navy.
1947
- In 1947, we were incorporated as McLaughlin Research Corporation
- MRC’s technical staff prepared thousands of engineering reports, technical manuals, and provisioning documents. They conducted special studies covering a wide spectrum of equipment for the Navy, Army, and Air Force, as well as for commercial companies like Sperry Gyroscope, Bell Laboratories, and Stromberg Carlson.
1956
- McLaughlin Research began furnishing automatic data processing (ADP) services, when it assisted the IBM Military Products Division in the preparation of the 14-volume SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Equipment) System parts catalog. The data processing hub was part of the system designed to monitor the skies 24/7 for incoming Soviet cold war bombers.
- This parts catalog was one of the first large projects to be prepared by ADP methods.
- For the next eight years, as IBM introduced design improvements in equipment, MRC developed innovative configuration management techniques to maintain this catalog up-to-date through 27 configurations of the system.
- During this period, MRC introduced ADP parts provisioning documentation to many companies, including IBM Commercial Products, General Electric, Sperry Gyroscope, Collins Radio, Sylvania, RCA, and Grumman.
1959
- In the late 50’s and early 60’s Charles McLaughlin was asked to develop a Space Age Dictionary.
- At the time of the first edition, Space Age was just getting “off the ground” and then updated again in 1963 because of the rapid technology changes.
- This was part of a series of technical books on the Navy, Air Force, Army, and one specifically on atomic subs.
1963
- Using early IBM mainframe computers, McLaughlin Research logisticians and configuration managers were part of the introduction of the Program Evaluation Review Technique using IBM mainframe computers to manage the overall program development and manufacturing schedules. MRC monitored complex manufacturing and shipping schedules to ensure on time delivery of systems components.
1964
- Charles McLaughlin, President of MRC, accepts the Polaris Team flag from the U.S. Navy for our contribution to the production of the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile System.
1960s
- Dozens of skilled writers, illustrators, and production personnel in McLaughlin’s film division, working out of studios in New York and Washington, D.C., produced award-winning informational and training films for the government and industry including This is the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and DASH – the Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter.
- McLaughlin Research continued to provide state-of-the-art technical support for military-industrial programs, such as the acquisition and fielding of the Polaris fleet ballistic missile system, the sea-based leg of the nation’s strategic deterrence triad.
1970s
- Since the early 1970s, McLaughlin Research has provided a wide variety of life cycle support services for U.S. Navy undersea weapon and combat system programs from our offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.
- Tasking during the past four decades has ranged from: Designing world class research and development lab facilities, installing and operating sensitive electronic equipment aboard submarines, tracking configuration of every US submarine launched torpedoes, to analyzing the technical and financial status of major systems acquisitions for Seawolf and Virginia Class submarines.
1980s
- MRC was awarded contracts to provide Engineering and Technical Support Services at NUWCDIVNPT for Weapons and Launcher Systems
- In 1986, MRC became a Women-Owned business and remained that way for over 20 years.
1990s
- MRC awarded NUWCDIVNPT Contracts to provide Engineering and Technical Support for ASW Targets, Unmanned Vehicles, Test Equipment and LWT Torpedoes as well as follow-on contracts for Weapons and Launcher Systems
- During this time, MRC, working with NUWCDIVNPT, developed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation and compliance-related reports and manuals and created interactive computer-based training and integrated, multimedia courses for U.S. and allied navy customers.
2015
- MRC continues to provide Engineering and Technical Support for Weapons and Launcher Systems. MRC wins NUWCDIVKPT Engineering Support Service Contract.
2016
- On May 2, 2016, MRC received the Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award, presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
2017
- On June 22, 2017, MRC received the James S. Cogswell Award, presented by the Defense Security Service, in recognition of sustained outstanding achievement during 2017 for implementation of the National Industrial Security Program.
- On November 28, 2017, MRC received the Hire-A-Vet Award, presented by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and Employment Security Department Commissioner Dale Peinecke on behalf of the YesVets program.
Today
- Today, MRC reflects back with pride on our accomplishments in the past, and we look forward with confidence in our ability to help our customers meet the challenges that lie ahead.
