Expansion: Custom Dredge Works Inc.

Photos by John Burns

Custom Dredge Works Inc. is one of three U.S. companies that manufactures dredges used to mine sand and gravel, coal fines, diamonds and gold. Its dredges are also used in environmental and marine construction projects like underwater extractions in lakes, rivers and coastal waterways.

When people talk about dredging up old business in conversation, they may get the gist of the metaphor, but they likely don’t envision the majesty of a pump sitting on a floating platform with a customized digging or cutting device attached.

“A tremendous number of people don’t know we exist and don’t know how cool it is that we build mega machines here,” said John Jones, president of Custom Dredge Works Inc.

The massive equipment features engines ranging from 300 to 2,500 horsepower. The Topeka-made dredges are popular not only throughout the United States but also in Canada, Paraguay, Mexico, Ecuador, Iraq, Jordan and Nigeria.

Jones said one of the company’s most-intriguing deliveries was made to a Canadian diamond mine.

“Our equipment had to travel over the road made popular in ‘Ice Road Truckers’ and our team had to fly in a modified 737 to get to the site so they could assemble it,” he said.

In addition to dredges, the company makes an array of customized industrial and fabricated components.

THE COOLEST THING!

At age 12, Jones began working in the business his father, C.J. Jones, started. Jones ran shears and saws, welded, drilled and assisted with fabrication work. Although he’s always known how special the company’s niche is, he is gratified that others beyond his specialized clientele are seeing its appeal too. Custom Dredge Works made it to the top four in the 2020 Kansas Manufacturing Council’s “Coolest Thing Made in the State” contest.

Enhanced media exposure combined with a $3.5 million expansion complements Jones’ intention to cultivate a larger workforce to meet growing demand. Currently, the company has about 100 employees. The expansion will add another 17 full-time positions.

“Our company’s core values are all about family and excellence, and we’ve been fortunate that we’ve been able to hire people who share those values,” he said. “We’ve had opportunities to expand elsewhere, but the Joint Economic Development Organization’s financial commitment to our plans cemented our decision to settle in here and keep things rolling at home.”

EXPANSION IMPROVEMENTS

Jones said the expansion will provide for a 36-acre campus and allow the company to become more efficient and expedient in its processes while eliminating weather-related delays. The expansion also includes a specialized paint and blast facility and innovative metal fabrication and hydraulic technologies.

“We used to hand build and hand fit products but with the increasing demand we’ve experienced the past few years, we really needed to invest in process improvements,” he said. “We used to do a lot of assembly work outside that we can now bring indoors. We love Kansas but we don’t always love the weather when brutally hot or excessively wet conditions affect production. By bringing that under one roof, we’ll be less dependent on weather while being able to add significantly to our capacity. Our employees can’t wait.”

The expansion is expected to be completed this spring.

TRADE PROFESSION OPPORTUNITIES

Jones, who has a finance degree from Washburn University, said he has benefited in multiple ways from his degree but would like to see more programs designed to entice younger people to pursue trade professions.

“If you’re willing to work with your hands, you can make a good living in high-demand fields without incurring a lot of debt while continuing to build your skill set,” he said. “At our company, we can teach someone a niche trade that he or she could only get in maybe one other place in the U.S. and a handful of others in the world. We can take welders or mechanics and make them expert dredge technicians and dredge builders. There’s a lot of opportunity.”

Developing talent is one of Jones’ key commitments to his growing workforce.

“I believe in surrounding myself with people who can do the job better than I can,” he said. “There comes a point as a business owner or a manager when you realize you can’t do it all by yourself, and the best thing you can do is rely on good, knowledgeable people.”

Click Here to learn about other businesses expanding in Topeka.