History of STPA

Sheppard T. Powell began a general consulting engineering practice in 1921, after serving the Baltimore County Water And Electric Company for nine years in that capacity. He was one of the founders of the Boiler Feedwater Studies Committee formed in 1924 by members of the American Water Works Association and four other engineering groups. Publication of his book in 1927, Boiler Feedwater Purification (revised in 1954 as Water Conditioning for Industry), attracted clients over a large area. During these early years, Sheppard T. Powell provided service to a range of businesses including power and water utilities and steam and power plants for the steel and synthetic rubber industries. In 1958, Mr. Powell formed a Partnership with three of his senior staff members. Around 1963, he retired from the Partnership, but remained available as a Consultant through December 31, 1967. Around 1963-1967, the company name was changed to Sheppard T. Powell Associates. In approximately 1970, STPA started providing metallurgical services. A laboratory affiliate, Powell Labs Ltd (PLL), was created in 1983 to provide metallurgical, deposit and water analysis services. In 1996, the Partnership was converted into a limited liability company, Sheppard T. Powell Associates, LLC (STPA). In 2003, the laboratory was assimilated back into STPA. As of 2018 STPA has received and analyzed over 4,000 water sample sets, over 5,000 metallurgical jobs, and over 10,000 deposit sample sets. STPA continues to be a leader in the provision of consulting and laboratory services to the power and pulp and paper industries. Experience gained by performance of plant assignments is augmented by participation in technical societies, conferences and symposia. Because we do not supply either equipment or chemicals and have no affiliations with any of these suppliers, we offer an independent perspective to our clients. Brief STPA personnel résumés are available upon request.