Customers had an opportunity to see the full range of tank hardware manufacturing and distribution capabilities at the Dixon Valve & Coupling Co facility in Houston TX during an April 3 open house. The company moved to the new and larger location in 2008.
With 71,000 square feet available (55,000 of which is occupied), the Houston location is the second-largest in the Dixon network of 12 warehouse/distribution facilities in the United States, according to Dan Burke, Dixon Bayco sales manager. Only the warehouse at the company headquarters in Chestertown MD is larger. The Houston warehouse/distribution facility also is one of just two that has manufacturing
Tours of the Houston operation started with a walk through the manufacturing area. Steel hose couplings are machined there, and metal hoses for dry bulk and chemical transfer are assembled. The hose fitting manufacturing operation was moved to Houston from Louisiana.
Next stop on the tour was warehousing and shipping. The Houston facility primarily serves Dixon customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The warehouse stocks about 1,000 Dixon parts out of a companywide total of 7,500. “We manufacture about 85% of what we distribute,” Burke said.
Also part of the tour was one of two Mobile Connections Trailers operated by Dixon. The trailers are used for on-site training at Dixon facilities and customer locations.
The Houston open house was one of a series that Dixon is conducting during 2009 at its network warehouse and manufacturing facilities. Among the US locations scheduling open houses and tours are facilities in Tampa FL (April 29), Los Angeles CA (May 6), Chicago IL (May 28), and Kansas City MO (June 11). Contact Dixon for more information.