Working Underwater: The Story of the Commercial Diving Industry

By 1998 the company was well into developing
its nuclear underwater coatings program.
This involved state-of-the-art methods
and products that could withstand high levels
of radiation as well as be applied underwater
in nuclear plants on various underwater
components without the need for dewatering.
Moreover, the company was heavily involved
with large-scale modification projects at
nuclear plants with one of them requiring
upwards of fifty-six divers, many of whom
were highly skilled underwater welders.
In 1998, UCC was awarded a first-of-itskind
project at a world-famous theme park
in Orlando, Florida. This project involved
the extensive rehabilitation of the largest
salt water aquarium in the world. It was a
technically challenging project that had
more than twenty divers working for several
months while the attraction stayed open to
the public. At this same time, UCC was
continuing to forge strong relationships with
some of the world’s largest companies in the
nuclear industry in preparation for the future.
Business slowed slightly in the early 2000s
as some nuclear contracts came to an end.
However, the company rebounded in 2003,
when it acquired work for all three of its
regional offices. One of the projects undertaken
by UCC was a highly technical and challenging
assignment in Japan for one of the largest
manufacturers of nuclear reactors in the world.
More than thirty divers worked at the site
for several months and the outcome of the
project proved a tremendous success, bringing
forward more opportunities in Japan.
By the end of 2004, UCC had record
growth, which roughly tripled its annual
revenues since the three new owners acquired
it in 1996. The Connecticut corporate office
was responsible for roughly two thirds of
the company’s revenues that year due to a
large influx of nuclear plant services.
Additionally, the other two offices, Michigan
and Tennessee, were continuing to grow in
their respective regions, which represented
the remaining one-third. UCC continued to
prosper over the next few years with projects
involving its specialized underwater coatings,
reactor services and welding, marine services
and general diving.
In 2008, UCC had an incredible year;
when the company had its second-best
revenue year in history. UCC had a considerable
amount of both radiological and marine
diving services during the year. The Michigan
office had two large projects: one at a nuclear
site in Florida and the other for a utility
customer on Lake Michigan. The Michigan
office achieved its highest revenues to date.
In addition, the Connecticut and Tennessee
offices had successful years with their large
client base, which continued to grow steadily.
UCC marked the completion of the company’s
fortieth year of service and its sixth straight
year of sustainable growth.
Above: UCC completing turnkey repairs on
multiple mooring cells at an Ohio River
fossil plant in 2012.
Below: UCC diver preparing to complete a
dive on Lake Michigan. In the background is
the company’s eighty-foot Jack-up Barge
that supports multiple diving operations.
SHARING THE HERITAGE
67