Thank you for 50 years!
Berntsen’s first product
What a half-century it has been! Back in 1972, when Berntsen was founded, the world was a different place. There was no internet (it wouldn’t be available until 1983) ; social media wouldn’t show up for another 25 years. People had to communicate by landline telephone, snail mail, telex – or even talk face-to-face!
Technology was beginning to change surveying as well – Berntsen introduced the first lightweight aluminum alloy monument, making surveying less arduous; at the same time, Electronic Distance Measurement (EDMs), were being used in conjunction with theodolites, speeding up surveying. By the 1980s, surveying was becoming increasingly digitized, and by 1990, the digital total station was introduced.
In the 2000s, surveying technology really began to accelerate with the intersection of satellite navigation, computing and robotics. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) made it possible for surveyors to manage data from any point on the ground, without having to climb to the highest point. Robotics and computing meant that a single surveyor could complete more calculations at a faster rate.
Today, surveyors have a wide range of technology available, from 3D scanning to drones and ground-penetrating radar.
Forward-thinking
The first cast marker with graphics.
Throughout the past 50 years, Berntsen has also continued to innovate by improving core products and developing new products. In 1978, Berntsen developed a new way to create cast markers that included graphics as well as text, used first for a government project in Saudi Arabia. In 1985, we introduced the orbital forging method, producing the strongest and most durable bronze and aluminum markers available. In 2005, Berntsen created the Deep1 magnetic underground marker that can be located up to depths of six feet underground.
2015 Berntsen introduced the first connected RFID markers for infrastructure assets. Today, this product, the InfraMarker Connected RFID solution, digitally connects Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with the actual verified physical location and identity of any type of infrastructure asset. This digital connection between the physical asset and GIS means that field staff no longer must guess at the location and identity of the asset they’re looking for – they just need to scan the RFID tag (above or below ground) and the asset’s verified identity is displayed in their mobile app. This saves valuable crew time, prevents errors, and increases safety.
It’s all about you
In addition to product development, Berntsen continually searches for ways to make our customers’ lives easier. We launched one of the earliest e-commerce websites in the business, and we continually add high-quality product lines, including Carsonite marking posts and accessories, Rothbucher precision prisms and smart targets, and the Ripro Eco-Stake line – to name a few. We continually work to improve our turn-around times, while providing the highest quality products with caring and thorough customer service.
Berntsen is still a small but mighty company, and we didn’t do this alone – you are the reason we were founded and the reason we continue to strive to do the very best we can. We’re grateful to you for making our first 50 years possible, and we’re excited about the next 50 years! Technology will continue to advance at an even faster pace, and Berntsen and its partners will be right alongside you to make your job easier, faster and better.
As surveyor and President, George Washington said: “Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.”
Best wishes for the New Year, and we look forward to serving you in 2023.
Header image features surveyor Jack Salvan conducting NIR surveying in Arizona in 1983.