It initially allowed only the modelling of a steep-S system, with the mid-water arch constrained to follow an arc in the form of an upside down rigid pendulum. OrcaFlex version 1 was written by Peter Quiggin, Mark and Mike’s first employee. It took about ten years for the software development to become more significant in terms of revenue than the consultancy work it had been initially designed for.ġ986: OrcaFlex 1.0, written in just 3 months In fact, the flexibles work developed gradually, and the need for specialist analysis software grew with it. Initially the mainstay of the company was engineering consultancy work for BNFL Sellafield and others, and nothing to do with flexibles. Duties at the time extended beyond engineering, and when Mark was away on business, someone had to take responsibility for looking after the goat! Orcina Ltd began life in the old sitting room of Mark’s home on the outskirts of Ulverston. The name ‘Orcina’, using a variation of the latin for ‘Orca’, the chosen company logo, was registered in September 1986. Orcina was founded in July 1986 by Mark Carson and Mike Isherwood, who had both previously worked for VO Offshore in Barrow (a spin-off from Vickers Shipbuilders and owned by British Shipbuilders, now part of BAE Systems).
