Jim Buchwald Recognized by Gas Machinery Research Council

Monday, Oct. 3, Ariel co-founder Jim Buchwald was honored with the prestigious Edward N. Henderson Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Gas Machinery Research Council (GMRC), for a lifetime of outstanding service to the gas industry and GMRC.

“Ariel has been a leader for 50 years. Jim Buchwald had ideas that changed the industry, and Ariel continues to be a leader today. Ariel has dedicated itself to the Gas Machinery Research Council for many years; through hosting its 22nd annual reception at the GMRC event this year, to its participation in our committees that help drive industry research, presenting papers at our conference, and serving at the strategic board level. So when it came time to look at Ariel critically from a GMRC perspective and say ‘what all have they done?’, the answer was simple. Ariel Corporation and Jim Buchwald check every box,” said Mike Grubb, President, and CEO of Southern Gas Association and Gas Machinery Research Council.

In 1965 Buchwald began to design an 1800 RPM compressor for gas gathering — at a time when the industry standard for high speed was 1000 RPM. That small compressor, now known as Serial #1, changed the industry, and Buchwald built a company that would challenge his rivals from then on. Buchwald lead Ariel Corporation from its founding on April 27, 1966, until his retirement on April 30, 1998. Over 30 years, he saw many ups and downs in the industry, and under his leadership, Ariel produced a wide range of compressors for a variety of applications and became the world's largest manufacturer of natural gas compressors.

Today, Buchwald’s legacy continues. He acts as a mentor at Ariel, stopping in weekly to share his experiences and expertise with young engineers at the company now owned and operated by his daughter, Karen Buchwald Wright. The company has grown to more than 1,300 employees and has shipped more than 53,000 compressors worldwide.