A Celebration was in order for Delta Trailer Inc (DTI) at the end of 2008 when the company conducted an open house to show off its new $1 million repair facility in Houston, Texas.
The move to the new location only required crossing the street, but the addition of the 16,000-square-foot building provides ample room to efficiently handle the growing business that provides maintenance, repair, fabrication, and parts services, says Rodney Green, DTI chief operating officer.
Green and Huey Beason, president and chief executive officer, own the company based in Geismar, Louisiana. In addition to a 10-bay shop in Geismar, they operate a seven-bay repair facility in Creola (Mobile), Alabama, and are planning to open another shop in the Savannah, Georgia, area in 2009.
In Houston, six service bays with double-wide doors provide work space for two tank trailers each. DTI offers services for petroleum, chemical, pneumatic, and foodgrade tank trailers, as well as tank containers. Typical tank services include external and internal visual inspections, lining inspection, leakage testing, pressure retesting, thickness testing, MC330/331 retesting, vapor recovery testing, bottom-loading conversion, major barrel repair, sandblasting/painting, tank changeouts, lining repair, custom fabrication, wrecked trailer purchase, and pick-up and delivery. The shop holds an “R” stamp for tank repair and alteration.
Fabrication services
A press brake and end mill are onsite for fabrication. DTI plans to expand fabrication services and is in the process of reconditioning that section of the building and updating equipment. Plans also are on the drawing table for a parts and show room in both Houston and Geismar. For now, the Houston parts shelves are filled with a $50,000 inventory for company and commercial use.
In the administration section of the facility are two offices, a reception area, and storage spaces. An employee break room includes eating facilities and individual lockers.
Outside, the yard is spacious enough for parking 50 tank trailers either awaiting service or ready for pick-up.
Overseeing the Houston operation is Carlos A Quiroa, general manager. He is assisted by Kyle Moses, shop foreman, who directs 10 mechanics, Paula Bravo, office clerk, and John Gomez, parts supervisor.
With the Houston location well in operation, the owners will be turning their attention to their next company addition in the Savannah area with more information about it to follow at a later date when it goes into operation.
