Precision Engineering began as a crankshaft repair shop in 1948. In 1968, the company moved to 1231 Director Street near the border of Seattle and Tukwila, joining other industrial operations near the Duwamish River. By 1978, the firm had plants in Seattle and Portland that specialized in the manufacturing and repair of hydraulic equipment, particularly for the lumber and construction industry. The Seattle plant closed in 2005.

Precision Engineering’s work involved many toxic chemicals, and these gradually polluted the site. Washington’s Department of Ecology began to fund cleanup efforts in 1990, removing tons of soil. The US Environmental Protection Agency added five miles of the Lower Duwamish River to its Superfund National Priorities List in 2001, and Washington’s Department of Ecology included the Precision Engineering site in its Source Control Strategy for the river. Cleanup efforts continue as of 2024.

This six-page brochure describes Precision Engineering and illustrates the kinds of work done by the firm.

Caption information source: Department of Ecology, State of Washington, Cleanup and Tank Search, Facility Site ID: 2056, Cleanup Site ID: 4532, Updated May 2022. (Retrieved March 8, 2024)