Unlocking the Bechtel Archives

Upgrading an Archives To Hold More Than a Century of History

When leading engineering and construction firm Bechtel realized it needed a full-service partner to securely protect and promote its collection, it was an opportunity to bring in an outside partner to unlock its history’s potential. Despite having a company archives that was housed in a climate-controlled space with sophisticated infrastructure, moveable shelves and fireproof cabinets in the basement of its San Francisco headquarters, the leading engineering, construction and project management firm could never find what it was looking for. As there were no actual archivists on-site to establish a cataloging process for the collection, the process of finding valuable assets was long and arduous.

Bechtel realized it needed a full-service partner to securely protect and promote its collection. The company brought History Factory in to help it create an organized, searchable archives. Through this engagement, we completed:

• Processing of the Bechtel archives, totalling 980 linear feet, through the development of a meaningful collection arrangement and structure and descriptive cataloging
• Strategic digitization of high-value and at-risk materials, including more than 800 historical videos, 1,500 issues of information-rich company publications and 30,000 project photographs
• Onboarding of a new digital asset management tool, AMS, with more than 43,000 catalog records and 35,000 digital assets spanning the life of the company to make the archives accessible
• Rescuing and processing of more than 35 TB of at-risk born-digital data housed across 31 decades-old external hard drives

Archival Origins: Bechtel’s Approach to Managing Its Records

In 1968, Bechtel—founded in 1898—built its new San Francisco headquarters to commemorate its 70th anniversary. The new building included a custom-built basement to house the company’s corporate archives, which consisted of more than 800 linear feet of material, including assets dating back to the 1910s. Its collection consisted of decades of printed publications, multiple film and photographic formats, and a significant number of born-digital materials in obsolete storage formats. Taken together, these materials represented Bechtel’s rich history of delivering projects that drive prosperity, elevate standards of living, and support sustainable growth across the globe. 

However, the lack of a defined archives strategy or program had created a disorganized environment. It became apparent that moving Bechtel’s headquarters to its office in Reston, Virginia, would also require a new management system. Bechtel needed help to develop a collection structure, arrange all the physical materials into it and describe its archival assets in a comprehensive catalog so it could search, discover, access and use assets relevant to its needs.

Cataloging More Than 100 Years of History

Revitalizing Bechtel’s archives began with performing a detailed assessment of the archives and recommending improvements that would ensure the longevity, security and use of the company’s assets. The first step of our archives improvement plan was to transport Bechtel’s collection to History Factory’s archival facility in Chantilly, Virginia, where our certified archivists could begin processing the collection. 

After all of the physical materials were preserved, arranged into a consistent subject-based structure and properly cataloged, the next step was beginning digitization. The thorough analysis of materials our archivists conducted as part of the assessment gave us a better understanding of the current state of Bechtel’s collection so we could develop the digital foundation for an AMS best suited to its needs. Our team prioritized materials for digitization based on Bechtel’s business goals, targeting specific assets, topics and geographic areas. This included decades’ worth of newsletters, annual reports, foundational documents and photo albums of its oldest projects.

Building Bechtel’s Future 

This updated archival system increased the accessibility and value of Bechtel’s collection across the enterprise. With this new AMS, the Bechtel team has been able to leverage its archives to mark office anniversaries, celebrate business partners, track project milestones, educate its people and support business development opportunities. Since History Factory began processing the company’s archives in 2019, Bechtel users have gained access to a navigable collection and can conduct their own research into the company’s history.

Today, Bechtel plans to extend the capabilities of its archives even further so the collection can continue to serve the company and its business objectives long into the future. 

Interested in making your company’s history more accessible? Get in touch.