Since 1998, dredge operators in more than 45 countries have acquired their dredging equipment from a manufacturing facility located in the heart of Poplarville.
DSC Dredge LLC fabricates and manufacturers dredging equipment within Poplarville’s Industrial Park.
A dredge, which CEO David Miller describes as a floating vacuum cleaner, is essentially a barge with a pump.
Dredges are used in a number of operations including sand, gravel, concrete, asphalt, phosphate, environmental cleanups and for deepening channels in navigable waterways, Miller said.
“A number of our dredges are used along the Mississippi Gulf Coast for renovating the beaches,” Miller said. “The sand is pumped up onto the beach in order to replenish the sand.”
DSC is owned by Bob Weeta, William Weeta and Miller. The company has three operational facilities, which are located in Poplarville, Reserve, Louisiana and Greenbush, Michigan, Miller said. There are 165 employees between the three facilities, he said.
Miller, who was born and raised in Metairie, Louisiana, began his career at Kenner Marine, which was owned by Tommy Weeta.
Bill Skipper, who was employed at the now defunct GNS International, told Miller about the vacant facility in Poplarville.
“The past 27-years have been a good experience,” Miller said. “I’ve seen the city grow and expand over the years. The majority of our employees are local.”
The employees are skilled in welding, fitting, painting, hydraulics and equipment installation, Miller said.
The company has a network of salesmen all over the world and competes internationally, Miller said. DSC builds dredges as small as 200 and as big as 4,000 horsepower. Three dredges were just delivered to Canada, while two others were delivered to Wisconsin and Georgia, Miller said. Currently, they are building a 75-foot dredge for Nigeria and one which be delivered to the outer banks of North Carolina, to be utilized to keep the state’s ferry route navigable, Miller said.
Learn more about DSC Dredge, LLC at www.dscdredge.com. The main office in Reserve, Louisiana is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and staff can be reached at 985-479-1355 and the fabrication office is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The contact number for the Poplarville facility is 601-795-2208 and staff can be reached between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.