Dearing Compressor and Pump is seeing a rejuvenation in their business since shale development has begun in the Utica and Marcellus. The company makes compressor packages for the oil and gas industry, which help transport natural gas and liquids through pipelines to utilities and processing plants across America. Within the past four years, business has taken on a whole new life thanks to shale development.
With a flurry of projects happening in our region, Dearing is keeping busy filling orders for their customers. In 2004, Dearing Compressors and Pumps employed around 45 people. Today, they are employing around 180 and are still looking for more qualified workers to help weld, fabricate, and assemble their compressor packages.
The company, which has been has been servicing industrial and energy customers at its Youngstown location, is a family business that has based their reputation on service, reliability, integrity, and innovation fueled by customer confidence since 1945.
With strong reliance on innovation, Dearing saw the opportunity shale development would bring and began building and supplying compressor packages to customers in Pennsylvania. The average compressor station puts out anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 horsepower costing $1 million plus. During our tour, there were 7 compressor stations being built in the bays of their 50,000 square feet facility with each one ranging from $1.2 million to $3.4 million.
As their compressor station began to increase in size, Dearing found their 36,000 square foot facility wasn’t nearly large enough to handle all of their new business. As a result, in 2010 they started building a 50,000 square foot manufacturing and assembling area next to the existing 36,000 foot space to accommodate the growing business. Today, only two years later, they are looking to expand to over 125,000 foot workspace while remaining at the same location.
Each compressor package is built from scratch at the Youngstown facility, minus the engine and compressor, which are bought from companies like CAT and Ariel Corporation. From the skids where the station sits, to all of the fittings, pulse bottles and scrubbers, each component is fabricated on site.
The operation is amazing as compressor stations are built in multiple bays, each one made to the customer’s unique specifications. Their customers range from utilities natural gas.
processing plants like the M3 project, to pipelines responsible for getting our natural gas to heat our homes.
As Dearing Compressor and Pump continues to grow, they will continue to need qualified employees to help them supply the oil and natural gas developers not only in our region, but across the United States. Luckily for Ohio, we have a manufacturer like Dearing employing Ohioans and supplying companies developing resources in our state. It is success stories like these that show the true potential for Ohio as oil and gas development continues to increase.
