Fronek Anchor/Darling Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of hydraulic and mechanical snubbers for the nuclear power industry. An ASME “Nuclear Supports (NS)” Certificate of Accreditation holder since the early 1980s, Anchor Darling is authorized to fabricate welded and non-welded Class 1, 2, 3, and Metal Containment (MC) nuclear supports under Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Our products provide proven vibration control and safety-critical reliability for nuclear facilities worldwide. Fronek Anchor/Darling has operated as a division of Piping Technology & Products, Inc. since August 2004.
Diagram of Adjustable Strut Hydraulic Snubber and Short Strut Hydraulic Snubber
Our History
Anchor Darling began as a family-owned actuator company before entering the nuclear snubber business in the early 1980s. Bob Fandetti, drawing on product development experience and access to the nuclear industry through his father’s work at Bergen, partnered with gear specialist Harry Seltzer to develop the mechanical snubber, with the earliest engineering drawings dating to that period and sales following soon after. Because the mechanical snubber’s cost limited it to nuclear applications, the company developed the hydraulic snubber as a more commercially viable alternative, a product line that remains core to Anchor Darling’s business today. By the late 1980s, operations had consolidated to Laconia, New Hampshire, where the company remains headquartered. In 1992, Anchor Darling brought machining in-house through the acquisition of Bennett Machine; that equipment remains in use in its facility today. Piping Technology & Products, Inc. acquired the company from the Shaw Group in August 2004 and has continued to build on its nuclear vibration-control engineering ever since.
Timeline
- Late 1970s — Anchor Darling begins developing its mechanical-snubber line, led by product-development specialist Bob Fandetti and gear specialist Harry Seltzer.
- Early 1980s — The earliest Anchor Darling mechanical-snubber drawings date to this period; the first sales are believed to have occurred around 1981.
- 1989 — Anchor Darling consolidates operations in Laconia after Bergen transfers its Laconia property, building, and hydraulic-snubber product line to the company.
- Early 1990s — Fronek partners with the business in the growing cogeneration market, pairing Anchor Darling snubbers with broader pipe-support offerings.
- Circa 1992 — The company brings much of its hydraulic-snubber machining in-house through the acquisition of Bennett Machine.
- Circa 1995–96 — Fronek acquires the snubber business; shortly afterward, BF Shaw acquires Fronek, and the company operates as Shaw Anchor Darling.
- 2004 — Piping Technology & Products acquires the business from Shaw, restoring the Fronek Anchor Darling name.
What We Build
Fronek Anchor/Darling manufactures a focused line of vibration control equipment engineered for safety-critical applications:
- Hydraulic snubbers – the company’s primary product line for both nuclear and commercial piping systems
- Mechanical snubbers – originally engineered for nuclear-specific applications
- Replacement parts and refurbishment – supporting an installed base built over decades
- Silicone-based hydraulic fluid – engineered specifically for use in Anchor Darling’s hydraulic snubber systems
Industries & Applications
Anchor Darling’s products are engineered primarily for the nuclear power generation industry, where safety-critical vibration control is mission-essential. Its installed base also extends into cogeneration power plants, where hydraulic snubbers deployed since the early 1990s remain in service at many sites.
Built for Critical Service
Fronek Anchor/Darling brings decades of experience with legacy hydraulic and mechanical snubber designs, along with deep familiarity with the demands of nuclear-quality work: traceability, material qualification, heat treatment, plating, and coordination across multiple specialized vendors. Its mechanical snubbers are precision assemblies built around a complex gear mechanism, described internally as having “Swiss watch quality.” Because so much of the installed base has been in the field for decades, the company places a premium on backward compatibility, ensuring that today’s parts and service work reliably with equipment installed generations ago. This experience spans the company’s primary legacy market, nuclear power plants, as well as an additional installed base in cogeneration plants dating to the early 1990s, an estimated 25 to 30 sites still running Anchor Darling hydraulic snubbers today.
Manufacturing & Engineering Capabilities
- ASME “NS” Certificate of Accreditation holder, authorized to fabricate welded and non-welded Class 1, 2, 3, and MC nuclear supports with full design responsibility
- Quality program certified to ASME NQA-1 (per NCA-4000), NCA-3800, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, and ANSI/ASME N45.2
- In-house machining capability for the majority of hydraulic snubber components, established through the 1992 acquisition of Bennett Machine
- Supplies both ferrous and nonferrous materials for nuclear facilities worldwide
Our Facilities
Fronek Anchor/Darling is headquartered and manufactures at 86 Doris Ray Ct., Laconia, New Hampshire.
Our Team
About PT&P
In business since 1978, Piping Technology & Products, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (U.S. Bellows, Inc., Sweco Fab, Inc., Pipe Shields, Inc., and Anchor Darling, Ent.) offer a wide range of engineered products and services for various industries and applications.
From engineered pipe supports, expansion joints, pre-insulated pipe supports, and miscellaneous fabrication to various engineering and technical services, PT&P has decades of experience providing products and services for all your engineering needs.
PT&P strives to satisfy each customer’s request, from custom-designed and engineered products to emergency situations requiring critical, time-sensitive attention. PT&P also continues to search for ways to increase customer satisfaction and quality. Through our value-added services such as 24×7 Field Services, product testing, stress analysis, and engineering & design services, PT&P is able to support our customers above and beyond expectations.
Learn more about Piping Technology & Products, Inc.
Supporting the Next Generation of Plant Teams
The snubber industry is aging, and institutional knowledge doesn’t always transfer smoothly as plant engineers, program managers, and maintenance teams rotate through their roles faster than they once did. Fronek Anchor Darling aims to be a source of clear, practical guidance for the people now responsible for equipment they didn’t originally install, helping plant engineers, snubber program managers, maintenance teams, and procurement professionals assess aging equipment, understand replacement needs, and plan around realistic lead times.
Have an Upcoming Project?
Whether you’re identifying, servicing, or replacing a snubber, our team has the legacy knowledge to help. Schedule a Call, Request a Quote, or Contact Us to get started.