CHICO — Most high school freshmen would likely be hard-pressed to describe what they want to do when they’ve left school and entered the “adult world.” This is only the third month of being in a new school and they’re still too busy learning the routine to have time to think much about the future.
Not Alex Gonzalez and Jake Yost. They’ve seen the future already, and they fit very nicely in it — thanks to a strong interest the two have in the field of industrial arts. Specifically, the Red Bluff High School freshmen like the idea of working with metal, including designing and building things.
So it wasn’t a surprise that Transfer Flow, Inc. — a Chico company that designs and builds fuel-delivery systems — captivated the duo at the company’s 40th-anniversary open house at its facilities, at 1444 Fortress St. on the northern edge of the Chico Regional Airport Industrial Park. The company’s facilities were open for public inspection, showing off Transfer Flow’s engineering, welding and production departments along with some high-tech equipment it uses in the process.
“This place has more than I expected,” Gonzalez said, gesturing toward the manufacturing building where all of Transfer Flow’s welding and fabrication take place. “I’ve been thinking about metalwork — assembling the parts and designing things.”
Yost nodded in agreement, and added: “When I came to (metal shop) class, I liked what we do — being able to build things.”
Both young men, incidentally, learned about fixing and maintaining farm equipment from their grandfathers. Yost’s lives on a farm in the Red Bluff area, and showed Jake how to address issues with water-delivery systems. Gonzalez’s grandfather also worked in ag near Red Bluff, demonstrating the importance and economy of equipment maintenance.
It was on the farm Gonzalez learned to drive specialized equipment, giving him even more of a head start over his peers.
Brett Richards, who teaches industrial arts at Red Bluff, said events like this one are enticements he uses to inspire students to see value in this line of work.
“That’s why we go to (events like these),” Richards said. “We want to get them out to colleges, manufacturers, plus any programs such as the SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) at Chico State. We want them to see that engineers can get good-paying jobs here.”
Across the parking lot, Transfer Flow owner Warren Johnson exchanged handshakes and hugs from well-wishers as he headed up the festivities. He pointed to the building about 250 feet away, at the corner of Ryan Avenue and Fortress Street, where the company began in 1983.
Forty years of manufacturing
Four decades have provided a lot of opportunity for growth. The company employs 95 people at its Chico plant and has another factory in Algood, Tenn., and has more than 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Its major customers of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) fuel tank systems are Ford, Ram, U-Haul and Navistar.
Transfer Flow creates high-capacity replacement tanks, in-bed auxiliary tanks, refueling tanks, and fuel tank-toolbox combinations. The company’s revenues were $22 million last year.
“Our auxiliary tanks hold 40 gallons and increase a vehicle’s fuel capacity and range,” Johnson explained. “You can fill up where gas is cheaper and travel further.”
Such an arrangement is useful for people traveling to remote areas, where gasoline options are limited. Or, by using the refueling tanks, customers can fill the tanks of other vehicles, such as four-wheelers, boats, generators or the vehicles of friends who might have run out of gas while on the road.
Solving problems
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue had a problem with its Sno-Cat — a large tractor-like vehicle used for moving around snowy conditions where standard vehicles would likely get stuck — and called upon Transfer Flow to help.
“Their Sno-Cat was getting stranded going uphill,” Johnson explained, “as the fuel wasn’t able to reach the fuel line even though there was plenty in the tank.”
Transfer Flow designed and installed two side-mounted tanks that worked with gravity instead of letting gravity dictate how the vehicle would work.
“They’re very happy with how it works,” Johnson said of Search and Rescue. “For this winter, they’re good to go.” The improved Sno-Cat was on display for public viewing at the open house.
Recruiting
Johnson said his company also used the open house as something of a recruiting tool, offering job possibilities in 40 areas — in manufacturing, as well as in the office — depending on a candidate’s education level. For example, a high school graduate could be eligible to operate many devices such as a welding robot, a laser, a forklift or a tank tester.
Holders of degrees from a junior college could work in technical support, sales or purchasing, as examples. University graduates could find jobs in administration, engineering and project management.
“Most of our welders graduated from the Butte College welding program, and the majority of our engineers are Chico State graduates,” Johnson said.