Dri-Air Expansion Boosts Warehouse, Manufacturing Capacity

The 6000-ft² addition will increase Dri-Air’s manufacturing and warehousing capacity by about 50%. The company told Plastics Technology that the added space will be used to boost inventory, which in addition to reducing lead times, will also allow it to hire more employees, experience better workflow, and pull in outside processes, thereby gaining tighter control over quality. Over the course of 2019, Dri-Air said it expects to hire five additional employees.

The expansion is expected to increase stock by 25%, and while inventory will be lifted across all product lines, Dri-Air noted that larger dryers and hoppers—1000 lb and higher capacity—will be the primary focus for the added space. “This will allow us to stock larger hoppers and components for our fastest growing segment, our large dryer market,” said Jason Sears, Dri-Air President, in a release.

Dri-Air noted that custom drying and conveying systems for injection molding and extrusion are the primary application for its products. Sears explained that Dri-Air’s closed loop temperature-based regeneration process uses less electricity than other dryer styles, making them appealing to manufacturers seeking to reduce energy consumption.