Continental Disc Corporation, LLC

In 1965, in Kansas City, Missouri, three individuals, Hans Unger, John Radhal, and Frank Hansen, founded Continental Disc Corporation (CDC). Their business was built on a critical, yet often unseen, piece of industrial safety equipment: the rupture disc. This device is a pre-emptive safety measure, designed to burst at a specific pressure to prevent catastrophic explosions in various industrial systems. The company started with a small team, producing discs for a handful of processing industries. Their first product shipped in September 1966. Over the decades, CDC expanded its product line from basic rupture discs to a comprehensive portfolio of pressure-relief solutions, serving industries from pharmaceuticals and food to aerospace and oil and gas. A significant chapter in the company's story unfolded recently. After a period under the ownership of investment partnerships managed by Tinicum Incorporated, a major transition occurred. In August 2025, the energy technology giant Baker Hughes announced its acquisition of Continental Disc Corporation for approximately $540 million in an all-cash deal. This move integrated CDC's specialized safety products into Baker Hughes' broader portfolio of industrial and energy technology, marking a new phase of growth and expanded global reach for the Missouri-based manufacturer.