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June 2nd, 2011 by Patrick Fiedler

Fred Stanton Fiedler was just 23 years old in 1946. Fresh out of the Army Air Corp, he joined Union Oil Company’s Construction and Engineering Department.

Over the next eleven years, Fiedler worked in a department that would complete over 800 service stations — including building Service Station #4252, at the corner of Los Feliz and Brunswick, in a record-breaking nine working days.

But in 1956, the petroleum giant reached its refinery capacity, and no additional service stations were commissioned.

As the saying goes, when one door closes, a window opens. In Fred’s case, the window would become Fred Fiedler & Associates (FF&A) — founded at the encouragement of Union Oil to manage the company’s Western United States construction and engineering projects.

In 1964, FF&A moved to its Third Street offices in downtown Los Angeles, where company headquarters remained for over 50 years — a true brick-and-mortar symbol of the firm’s relentless stability, consistency, and dedication.

As the oil industry matured, FF&A played a vital role in serving major petroleum companies as they transitioned from full service auto care to self-service stations.

At the turn of the 1970s, new service station development came to a virtual halt. And out of this, the industry saw the arrival of air quality initiatives and regulations. Faced with a new challenge, FF&A trail-blazed vapor recovery solutions for underground tanks and similar fuel system projects.

By 1980, customers sought more from a service station than a simple fill-up. Convenience was the new trend — fill-up your tank, polish your engine with a quick lube and oil, and wash off the dust with a car wash. And again, Fiedler’s team was the industry leader, providing solutions forevery need.

The 90s saw the convenience trend evolve with the advent of quick service restaurants (QSRs) and co-branding. Fiedler’s success with these facilities, which combined both food and gasoline, pioneered new opportunities with national restaurant leaders, including the likes of McDonalds, Jack in the Box, and Wienerschnitzel.

Concurrently, the firm utilized its renowned design and engineering expertise to develop new solutions for the alternative fuels market. Its demonstrated success in this market fueled opportunities to assist multinational energy corporations including BP, Chevron, and Shell in developing their premiere U.S. hydrogen fuel facilities.

In 2004, FF&A rebranded itself Fiedler Group — reflecting the company’s revitalized direction as the multi-dimensional design and engineering firm you know today.

Fiedler Group continues to evolve and meet the needs of its clients in an ever-changing environment with new service offerings, new technologies, and a steadfast commitment to serving our clients with unparalleled quality and value.