Another chapter is soon to be added to the success story that is the Durham Co. in Houston.
The Lebanon-based firm that makes electrical boxes, metering equipment and other electrical gear has begun another addition to its Houston plant. This time, an approximately 30,000 square-foot space will be added onto the southwest side of the main building, across from Opportunity Sheltered Industries.
“We’ve outgrown our facility again,” said plant manager Richard Peterson. “We can hardly get one addition built before we’re thinking about adding another one. But we’ve really been busy and customer demand is forcing us into building on some more.
RICHARD PETERSON
“We seem to really be booming.”
The new space will house a state-of-the-art “punching center,” costing more than $1 million. The large machine punches out metal parts that ultimately are fashioned into finished products by workers.
The Durham Co. finished a 16,000 square-foot addition in Houston in late 2014. The firm began operation in Houston with six employees in 1994. Now 220 people work there, including some from every community in Texas County (including Houston, Licking, Cabool, Plato and Summersville).
Peterson said the new addition won’t automatically result in a hiring spree when it opens, but that it will indeed create more jobs.
“We’re basically adding them prior to the expansion,” he said. “We’re at the 200 mark right now and a couple of weeks ago we were at 210. We have a weekend shift now, and we’ve increased the workforce some and will continue to do so as needed.
“Hopefully this project will open up a little room where we can work. Plus, we’ll eventually be able to add more assembly lines and fabrication jobs.”
The addition of a new punching center in itself represents more work at the plant.
“It will actually create jobs through the whole plant,” Peterson said. “Once something is punched, we have to bend it, weld it and paint it, and there will be more going through the assembly and shipping process.”
The Durham Company’s success is a bit of a mystery to Peterson – of the good kind.
“You watch the news and the economy doesn’t seem that strong at times,” he said, “but we’ve been extremely busy through the winter and spring, and we’ve been producing above some of the customer forecasts.
“I don’t know if anybody knows why.”
Peterson said the addition is being built by Gentry Construction and is expected to be completed in about six months.
The phone number at the Durham Co. is 417-967-5400.
“Hopefully this project will open up a little room where we can work. Plus, we’ll eventually be able to add more assembly lines and fabrication jobs.”
RICHARD PETERSON