SYLTONE Industries LLC inaugurated its expanded plant in Louisville, Kentucky, with an open house on March 23. It was truly an international affair, with participation from Mexico, South America, Europe, and Asia.
The open house gave customers a chance to tour the facility, which now serves as the primary manufacturing and distribution location for Drum and Emco Wheaton products that are marketed in North, Central, and South America. Emco Wheaton loading rack hardware made at the plant also is exported to the Far East and Middle East. Guests saw a plant that has been thoroughly modernized and a broad sampling of the products made there.
The updated and enlarged factory (25,000 square feet larger) will enable Syltone Industries to continue to meet customer needs for highly engineered equipment, such as product pumps, compressors, hydraulic systems, internal valves, and loading arms, according to Tony Clegg, Drum Engineering founder and chairman of Syltone Plc.
Clegg, who retired in April and was succeeded by Peter Andrews, also was present during the grand opening of the Louisville plant in 1994. Syltone invested $2 million in the plant expansion. Among equipment added to the operation were state-of-the-art robotic welders and CNC Laser cutting machines. Sophisticated fabrication and material handling equipment also were installed. Employment is at 87.
The expansion was needed to accommodate the Emco Wheaton DTM business, which was acquired by Drum Industries in 1998. The move from Morrisville, North Carolina, to Louisville was completed in September 1999. Clegg praised everyone involved in the effort, saying it took a great deal of dedication to complete the plant expansion and get Emco Wheaton moved in and operational in less than six months. Syltone Plc is the United Kingdom-based parent company of Syltone Industries and has manufacturing facilities in six countries and subsidiaries in 18. Syltone began as a holding company for Drum Engineering, which was founded in 1973, and other subsidiaries.
Drum Engineering expanded into the United States in 1975, and began operating as Drum Industries. Offices were opened in Louisville in 1980. The Drum product line includes blowers, pumps, and compressors that are mounted on trucks and tank trailers. The company also manufactures hydraulic systems for the trucking industry.
Emco Wheaton DTM also makes a number of products for the tank truck industry, including internal valves and API bottom-loading adapters for petroleum transports. Loading rack equipment, including loading arms, is another key product line.
Drum Industries and Emco Wheaton DTM operate as divisions of Syltone Industries LLC. Both units operate autonomously.