Dakota Supply Group - Index

Dakota Supply Group - dakotasupplygroup - Index

AUTOMATION
In the early 2000s, MAC,
Inc. got a phone call from
Northwest Airlines, and
now, Chinook heaters
warm the airline’s planes
when they sit idle for
extended periods of time
in cold weather (a much
more economical solution
than using the plane to
heat itself). These smaller
Chinooks have become a
significant part of MAC,
Inc.’s business.
A third part of MAC,
Inc.'s business now comes
from an unlikely source: hogs. Since hogs are
extremely susceptible to communicable disease,
the trailers used to move them must be kept
sanitized. Hog producers have found that using
a Chinook heater to blast the trailer with 170º air
will kill virtually all of the germs inside.
Eric Christianson is Paul’s youngest son. Eric
spent his early years as an electrical contractor in
Bismarck, but moved home in 2005 to help out
his father. He’s been a good fit, and his
experience as an electrician has made him a
valuable part of the manufacturing team.
Eric buys his electrical materials from DSG in
nearby Minot, ND, and one day, DSG’s Art
Perron asked him if there was anything else DSG
could do to help out MAC, Inc. Perron
scheduled a trip to Glenburn, and a few months
later, DSG and MAC, Inc. struck a deal for custommade
control panels for Chinook heaters.
“Art asked questions, came to see us and really
got to know the ins and outs of our business,”
says Eric. In the fall of 2007, Eric visited DSG’s
custom panel shop in Sioux Falls. “It was
amazing,” he says. “The automation folks have
been incredibly helpful. Their experience and
expertise have been tremendously valuable to us.
They’ve suggested innovative ideas that have
actually improved our products and how
they work.”
DSG has also taken steps to stock specific parts
for MAC, Inc. at the warehouse in Minot. “DSG
has been nothing but helpful,” Eric adds. “And
while some of our previous suppliers had
troubles with dependability, DSG and the
Automation Group have been extremely
professional. I would recommend them
to anybody.”
6 www.dakotasupplygroup.com
Chinook heaters are used in both the oil industry and in aviation.
The future is as wide open for MAC, Inc. as the
North Dakota skies under which it operates. In
fact, the Chinook team is currently building a
prototype to heat the airplanes of one of the
world’s largest package carriers. No matter
where tomorrow takes MAC, Inc., DSG will be
right there to help, ensuring that wherever there
is a need for clean, mobile heat, a Chinook
heater will be on the job.