Tyler Pipe held a grand opening celebration at their new transload facility Monday October 30, 2023, on the 7.6 acres they purchased from Henderson Economic Development Corporation (HEDCO) located at Industrial Drive in the Henderson, Texas Industrial Park.
“The facility is a major investment in the future of Tyler Pipe. This facility will transload raw materials by rail needed to manufacture pipe and fittings that are distributed all over the United States. The facility will also load finished product by rail to our three distribution centers servicing the west and east coast. Tyler Pipe is proud of our partnership with the city of Henderson,” said Joseph Holzbauer, General Manager of Tyler Pipe.
Representatives from Tyler Pipe, Blacklands Railroad and Rusk County Rail District along with Mayor Buzz Fullen, Rusk County Judge Joel Hale, HEDCO Executive Director John Clary and several of the HEDCO Board members joined a host of other dignitaries and guest for this special event.
“We are happy to welcome Tyler Pipe to the industrial community in Henderson. Tyler Pipe will be utilizing the rail for inbound and outbound shipping. Tyler Pipe’s new transload yard in Henderson Industrial Park will facilitate the growth of our industrial rail footprint in east Texas. Henderson is one of very few locations along the East Texas I-20 corridor that has rail access,” Clary said.
A transload center is a place that is used to transfer goods from one mode of transportation to another until they reach their destination. Since Henderson has access to rail it was a great fit for their current needs.
Mayor Buzz Fullen said, “In the early 2,000 I was contacted by the Honorable Judge Sandra Hodges with a major concern that the Rail line from Overton, Texas to Henderson, Texas was to be abandoned and the tracks taken up and hauled off. Her action was to save the rail and she needed my help! We formed an action group (Rusk County Rail Association) and started the process to “Save the Rail.”
“Being successful in this endeavor brings us to Today October 30,2023 at a Ribbon Cutting at the site of the new rail connection for a new business started by Tyler Pipe to service their business with a rail ship to and from connecting the U S from Henderson, Texas. Blacklands Railroad is the rail provider to operate the spur and maintain the same,” said Mayor Fullen.
He continued, “We here in Henderson have the only Spur connecting east Texas to the rest of the nation and the North American network of rail. We are so proud of the diligent work by our local Henderson Economic Development Corporation to have achieved this endeavor to serve the existing industrial park, Tyler Pipe distribution center and in the near future our new East Texas Regional Business Park.”
Dan Moore, Director of Marketing & Business Development