About Us

About Butterworth

Arthur Butterworth, in 1920, patented the first Automated Tank Cleaning Machine and in 1925 the company was established to produce and market this revolutionary new product. The company was subsequently sold to Standard Oil New Jersey (Exxon Corporation) in 1930 and remained an affiliated company until 1986. As part of an Exxon wide restructuring program, Butterworth was sold to management in 1986 and is today privately held.

In the beginning, the primary purpose of producing an Automated Tank Cleaning Machine was to remove workers from inside the tank... where an often times dangerous and always laborious job was undertaken in cleaning the cargo tanks aboard ocean going vessels.

Today, Butterworth still engineers and manufactures automated tank cleaning devices for all types of tanks and industries. But in addition to our beginnings we today offer consulting, validation, and engineering services.

Butterworth is dedicated to the advancement of Tank Cleaning Technology and its proper application for the benefit of our customers and the environment.