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Universal NDT - our NDT lineage and knowledge base
• 1983 - Universal NDT is founded by Leonard Garcia, Sr. and Dean Harris, 2 previous owners of URESCO. Universal NDT, followed the same business model and even derived most of its name and half of its logo from URESCO (Universal Reliability Equipment Supply COmpany). URESCO was founded by Leonard Garcia, Sr., Bob Schultz, and Jim Simpkins in 1961 as a company focused on 3rd party audits, NIST traceable calibration, manufacture, repair, and sales of NDT equipment, accessories, and supplies. URESCO was sold to Ardrox / Brent Chemical in 1980. In 1993 Brent Chemical sold off the Ardrox equipment manufacturing line to Gould Bass, a machine shop. Brent Chemical eventually sold to Chemetall Oakite, and is now owned by BASF.
• 1996 - Leonard Garcia Enterprises is purchased by Universal NDT - LGE was founded in 1979 by Leonard Garcia, Jr. and quickly became the largest industrial x-ray film processor service company in Southern California. The purchase brought LGE's: younger management and service capabilities.
• 1997 - Dean Harris (President) and Joan Harris (Office Manager) both resign - Leonard Garcia, Jr. becomes President and General Manager a few months sooner than originally agreed upon. Joe Garcia becomes Vice President and Sales Manager. A period of steady growth begins.
• 1999 - An agreement to buy Dean Harris' shares in Universal NDT is completed - Leonard Garcia, Jr. becomes majority owner.
• 2002 - NWHW is purchased by Universal NDT - John Higgins was a friendly competitor that performed NIST traceable calibration, repairs, and sales of Magnetic Particle Units and Fluorescent Dye Penetrant Inspection Systems. WHT was founded in 1974 by partners Frank Wall, Higgins (both former Magnaflux service techs,) and Gene Till (a former URESCO service tech). WHT later became WHW after the death of Till, then NWHW (North-WHW) after the split with Wall.
• 2007 – Universal NDT signs an 11 year, non-compete, contract with Test Equipment Distributors (TED) for the accessory and supply distribution segment of our business. TED co-located with Universal NDT at our warehouse in Upland,CA until 2018.
• 2010 - Leonard Garcia, Jr. retires - Joe Garcia becomes President and General Manager.
• 2010 - On-Site Metrology Laboratory Services - a new business segment for Universal NDT was kicked off. We contract our employee/s to run, or help run, our customer's Metrology Lab.
• 2018 - JS&P Enterprises is purchased by Universal NDT - John Pileggi was a friendly competitor that was the Authorized MAGNAFLUX Service Center in Southern California and performed NIST traceable calibrations. John founded JS&P Enterprises in 1978 after years of being a Magnaflux Service Technician.
• 2018 - Magnaflux appoints Universal NDT as an Authorized MAGNAFLUX Service Center. Both Joe Garcia and Michael De Leon became certified Magnaflux Authorized Service Center Technicians later in the year.
• 2021 - Leonard Garcia, Jr. sells his shares in Universal NDT back to the corporation - Joe Garcia becomes majority owner and Leonard agrees to remain an Officer of the Board of Directors.
• 2021 - NDT Unlimited's calibration & repair department is purchased by Universal NDT - Frank Wall, Tracy Atkins-Wall, and Randy Wall were friendly competitors that performed ISO 17025 accredited and NIST traceable calibrations and repairs of Magnetic Particle Units and Fluorescent Dye Penetrant Inspection Systems.
• 2021 - Universal NDT achieves ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation - our calibration laboratory is 3rd party accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 specification.
Our Outstanding Employees
JOE GARCIA - El Presidente, General Manager, Service Manager, Equipment Manufacturing Manager, and certified Magnaflux Authorized Service Center Technician: Joe began his IRS taxable career with LGE in 1987, servicing industrial x-ray film processors, but had years of prior knowledge pre-mixing Developer and Fixer for delivery, reclaiming silver from spent fixer, and shucking interleaf paper from x-ray film prior to reclamation. Joe earned a minor in Spanish from the University of Granada in Spain in 1993 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Cal State Long Beach in 1994. In 2004 he was recognized for being part of Three Generations of one Family to serve as Chairman for the Greater Los Angeles Section of the ASNT, and was a member of the ASNT's 2005 Board of Director's Selection Committee. Previously, Joe was also our Quality Manager and Sales Manager, and filling our other Managerial positions keeps his life busy and his hair thinning.
NEVA GOLSCH - Office Manager and Accounts Payable, since 2000. Having worked in the Construction, Aerospace, and Technical Systems Industries, as well as owning a small business for 18 years, Neva brought us office management experience that began in 1969. Her great sense of professionalism and well-rounded knowledge of business has made her the hub of our office.
NAM HUA - X-ray Repair Tech. (Independent Contractor): Nam has been an industrial x-ray service technician since 1987. He has been certified on Philips X-ray equipment and has a wealth of knowledge working exclusively on industrial x-ray units, such as: Philips, Seifert, Pantak, Gemini, Faxitron, Gulmay, Comet, Balteau, Sperry, Andrex, Lorad, Fein Focus, and Yxlon x-ray equipment. He began working with us in 2005.
MICHAEL DE LEON - Assistant General Manager, Quality Manager, Sales Manager, NIST traceable Calibration Tech., and certified Magnaflux Authorized Service Center Technician. Michael earned an Associate of Science degree in Mathematics and Physical & Biological Sciences from Citrus College in 2012 and completed 3 years of a Mathematics degree at Cal Poly Pomona. Since 2019 Michael has volunteered his time with ASNT's STEM outreach program and is on the Board of directors for the Greater Los Angeles Section of the ASNT. He keeps our Quality System in compliance with ISO 17025 and our Calibration System in compliance with ISO 10012, ANSI-Z-540 and Mil-Std-45662A. He started working with us in 2016.
MAURICIO SEGOVIA - On-Site Metrology Laboratory Service Lead Tech. He helps run our customer's Metrology Lab. and provides training for our technicians. His knowledge and professionalism keeps our customer's employees happy and their equipment In Tolerance. He started working with us in 2012.
LIZ PORTILLO - Sales Tech., Film Processor Repair Tech., and NIST traceable Calibration Tech. Her pleasant attitude and outgoing personality makes her extremely liked by our customers. She started working with us in 2012.
KEVIN RAMIREZ - NIST traceable Calibration Tech., Penetrant System Repair Tech., and Mag Unit Repair Tech. Kevin had years of experience in the construction industry and building swimming pools with his family business. He started working with us in 2015.
EDGAR CARRILLO - On-Site Metrology Laboratory Service Tech. He helps run our customer's Metrology Lab. and provides training for our technicians. He came to us with great overall mechanical skills learned from years of working on his ancestral ranch in Mexico during his teenage years. He started working with us in 2015.
NICK PACHECO - Service Coordinator, NIST traceable Calibration Tech., and On-Site Metrology Laboratory Service Tech. He sets our service schedule and works with our customers to help them comply with their specification requirements. He started working with us in 2018.
VICKI ALAMILLO - Accounts Receivable and Assistant Service Coordinator. Vicki earned an Associate of Science degree in Human Resources from Mt. San Antonio College in 1990. She worked 20 years in HR and Accounting for a large corporation, and 10 years as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Her years of experience quickly added even more professionalism to our office. She started working with us in 2019.
IGNACIO BARBOSA - NIST traceable Calibration Tech., Penetrant System Repair Tech., and Mag Unit Repair Tech. Ignacio was an industrial x-ray radiographer beginning in 1976. He spent years, at many different companies around Southern California, and is semi-retired (but working with us part-time). He started working with us in 2022.
CARLOS PORTILLO - Film Processor Repair Tech. and Penetrant System Repair Tech. He has a great work ethic, and an eagerness to help whenever needed. He started working with us in 2022
JAMES ALARCON - NIST traceable Calibration Tech. and Penetrant System Repair Tech. James has worked in various industries over the years, which provides him with good mechanical skills. His good sense of humor and quick wit, are already appreciated by our customers, and his eagerness to help whenever needed has quickly been put to good use. He started working with us in 2022.
SAMANTHA SALAZAR - NIST traceable Calibration Tech. Samantha came to us with years of experience working on family vehicles. With a pleasant attitude, great computer skills, an AA in Aviation Mechanic Technician, and a Bachelors degree in Aviation Administration, we were able to quickly train her in field calibration and completing our computer generated certifications. She started working with us in 2022.
TONY WOODS - On-Site Metrology Laboratory Service Tech. He helps run our customer's Metrology Dept. Tony has years of experience being an auto body & paint specialist, which he continues after hours and on weekends. He started working with us in 2023.
KIM VALENCIA - Secretary and Assistant Service Coordinator. She worked at Fed Ex for years, and besides having a pleasant demeanor, she is a certified forklift operator. She started working with us in 2023.
SEBASTIAN ALTAMIRANO - NIST traceable Calibration Tech. He has mechanical skills he learned from his father, a master technician and mechanic, that we hope to exploit soon. He started working with us in 2023.
LEONARD GARCIA, JR. - Died on Aug. 22, 2023 at the age of 79. Lenny started his NDT career in 1963, working for General Inspection Labs. and later at Cedtech Labs., as a Level II inspector in X-ray, Magnetic Particle and Fluorescent Dye Penetrant Inspections. He served our country during the Vietnam wartime, stationed in Germany with the Army. He was a founding owner of Cedillos Testing with Art Cedillos, then left to help with sales and service at URESCO, Inc. and later moved on to WMW Associates as a sales and service associate. During this time he earned an Associate of Science degree in Quality Control from Rio Hondo College, with a minor in Business Administration. In 1979 he founded LEONARD GARCIA ENTERPRISES (LGE) which was the largest industrial x-ray film processor service company in Southern California. In 1996, LGE was bought by Universal NDT, and they moved into the LGE offices in Upland. In 2004 he was recognized for being part of Three Generations of one Family to serve as Chairman for the Greater Los Angeles Section of the ASNT, and in 2018, he was recognized for 50 years of membership in ASNT. His many years of experience in the NDT industry as both an inspector and mostly as a sales and service professional, made him an indispensable help to the corporation. His friendly personality and smile will be greatly missed.
LEONARD GARCIA, SR. - Died on Jan. 13, 2005 at the age of 85. Leonard started his NDT career in 1938 at Ansco Films (the American arm of Agfa, which later merged with GAF), then in 1942 moved on to Ferro-Spec Labs. where he became the Magnetic Particle and Fluorescent Dye Penetrant manager. During his stretch at Ferro-Spec he got drafted by the Army during World War II and was stationed in Japan. In 1961 he ventured out with 2 colleagues to establish URESCO, Inc. a company originally founded to be a 3rd party auditing firm for Douglas Aircraft Co., but soon became a premier manufacturer, distributor, repair, and calibration provider of Fluorescent Dye Penetrant Inspection Systems, Magnetic Particle Units, Industrial X-ray Units, and Ultrasonic equipment. In 1980, URESCO was bought by Ardrox, and he once again ventured out with a colleague to establish Universal NDT, Inc. in 1983. Leonard brought the Tri-Con Wash Gun into the industry, after seeing it being used at a Garden Supply / Nursery Store. He, and a bunch of other old timers, sat around drinking in a hotel room during an ASNT conference and established the 'minimum dwell times' that are now Penetrant Inspection standards. He taught many NDT classes in both English and Spanish, helped establish the Materials Science Dept. at Don Bosco Technical Institute in 1956, was on the advisory committee that helped establish a curriculum in NDT at Cerritos College in 1978, he was elected a Fellow of the ASNT in 1974, served as a National Director from 1975-1978, served on many of the National organizing committees for ASNT, was recognized in 2004 for being part of Three Generations of one Family to serve as Chairman for the Greater Los Angeles Section of the ASNT, posthumously received the ASNT Mentoring Award in 2005, and in 2019 was included in the first class of Tree of Knowledge Honorees for the Memorial Installation at ASNT's International Service Center. His contribution to NDT is well documented in the hearts and minds of the many friends, colleagues, customers, and students that will always hold him in high regard.
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