If Howard W. Goodall could see his company now, he simply wouldn’t believe his eyes. Founded 110 years ago, Dixon is a premier manufacturer and supplier of hose couplings, valves, dry disconnects, swivels, and other fluid transfer and control products.
Dixon’s global reach includes a wide range of products for numerous industries, including petroleum exploration, refining, transportation, chemical processing, food and beverage, steel, fire protection, construction, mining, manufacturing, and data center cooling.
Today, Dixon has eight manufacturing facilities and 15 distribution centers in North America, along with 11 additional locations overseas.
Dixon’s strategic objective is to create solutions that make products safer, longer lasting, and always available. We operate on a longtime commitment to quality service and Uncommon Excellence including the “Six Pillars of Character”: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
Now based in Chestertown, Maryland, Dixon remains committed to North American manufacturing while operating on a global stage.
The following is a timeline of Dixon’s history:
1916: Howard W. Goodall founded Dixon Valve & Coupling Co. in Philadelphia. Goodall—who started the company with a strong understanding of the needs of the burgeoning mining, oil drilling, construction, and railroad industries in the U.S.—was the grandfather of current Chairman Richard L. “RL” Goodall and great-grandfather of President Taylor Goodall.
1917: The rotary hose coupling, a high-pressure fitting used in oil drilling, was patented and remained the largest selling item in the Dixon product line for 15 years.
1918: The first monthly mailer Dixon Driller® was published. It is the longest continuously running corporate advertising publication in the nation.
1929: After moving several times, Dixon relocated to its headquarters at Hancock and Columbia avenues in Philadelphia. Early items in the product line, which remain Dixon products today, include Boss® couplings, Boss single and double bolt hose clamps, air hammer couplings, suction couplings, Air King® universal couplings, and King combination nipples.
1934: Dixon opened its first international distribution center in Canada (Dixon Group Canada Ltd.).
1940: Goodall purchased the Latta & Mulconroy Co., where he began his career more than a half-century earlier. That company incorporated its products into the Dixon product line as Holedall® couplings.
1942: Nearly 100% of Dixon’s production went toward military contracts during World War II. Many Dixon products fell under the federal government priority system and were used by industry and the military in the war effort. Before long, Dixon manufacturing facilities were used almost entirely for military contracts. The largest was to produce 380,000 fuse plugs for anti-aircraft shells, which were run on a brand new six-spindle automatic screw machine, the only one in the Philadelphia area at the time. After the war, Dixon had the manufacturing capacity to resume supplying standard products to its commercial hose distributor base.
1950s: During this decade, Dixon pioneered the use of non-metallic hose fittings. The Tuff-Lite® line of nylon fittings was revolutionary in the industry and has been successful in agricultural, food, and medical applications.
1951: HW Goodall became ill while on a sales trip and passed away 10 days after his return, at the age of 79. His son, Richard B. “RB” Goodall, became president and chief operating officer of Dixon.
A Virginia Military Institute graduate who also held a degree from Babson College, RB Goodall had gradually assumed more leadership in the company as his father slowed down.
The company continued to grow under his leadership, and much of what the company is today can be attributed to his long-range vision and understanding of the industrial hose and fitting business. He was known as a leader who listened to his employees and offered counsel and encouragement.
1952: Dixon purchased Buck Iron Co. of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Now known as the Buck Company, it became a major source of malleable iron, brass, aluminum, and ductile castings for Dixon. Today, the Buck Company is a leading U.S. jobbing foundry with the capability to produce medium and long-run orders in a wide variety of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
1960s: The Dixon management team recognized the importance of establishing distribution centers across the country (and later around the world). With this breakthrough, customers were assured of prompt and efficient delivery of whatever they need, when they need it most.
1966: Dixon purchased Yardley Products Corp., a threaded metal inserts manufacturer.
1972: Dixon acquired Adflow in England, which is now part of Dixon Group Europe Ltd.
1974: Dixon added worm gear clamps to the growing product line. These clamps were the first product sold that were not designed and manufactured by the company.
1976: Dixon, which outgrew its Philadelphia facilities, moved its headquarters to an 11-acre tract of land—the former site of Vita Foods, a pickling operation—in historic Chestertown, Maryland. Approximately 15 employees and their families moved with the company.
1980: Dixon entered the cam & groove market by applying for a patent for Boss-Lock, a fitting with a safety-locking handle.
1981: Dixon Adflow Ltd., now Dixon Group Europe, opened in Preston, England.
1985: Dixon purchased the assets of the Andrews Division of Parker Hannifin, providing the company with the Andrews line of cam & groove fittings.
1993: Dixon expanded its mix of products into the hydraulic and pneumatic quick disconnect coupling market by purchasing the Perfecting Coupling Co. (now Dixon Quick Coupling). Dixon Quick Coupling is a 170,000-square-foot-facility with manufacturing and distribution operations.
1994: RB Goodall passed away after 65 years with the company. His sons RL (president, pictured right) and Douglas (vice president of operations, pictured left) become the third generation to lead Dixon.
1996: Dixon purchased the Australian manufacturer Minsup. Now known as Dixon Asia Pacific, the company expanded its product offering to include fire protection products and has grown to incorporate six locations across Australia.
1999: Dixon purchased the American Coupling Co. (now Dixon Brass), adding manufacturing of brass hose fittings to the company’s capabilities.
That year also saw the acquisition of Bayco Industries and a merger with the already present Dixon operation in Canada. The U.S. operation became Dixon Bayco. This purchase expanded the company’s product line to include petroleum and dry bulk products and overfill protection and accessories.
2000: Dixon extended its reach into the food and beverage market with the purchase of Bradford Fittings (now Dixon Sanitary). A full line of 304 and 316L stainless steel fittings used in the food, dairy, beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets became available to Dixon distributors.
2001: RL Goodall became CEO of Dixon, while Louis F. Farina Jr. was named president. Farina, who started at Dixon at age 17 in 1959, was the company’s first non-family member to hold the position.
2003: Dixon continued its global expansion with the creation of Dixva, a sales and distribution operation in Monterrey, Mexico.
Dixon also expanded into Germany and opened a sales and distribution operation in Troisdorf-Spich.
2004: Dixon Fire was created to serve the fire protection industry, with products such as adapters, connections, hoses, nozzles, racks and reels, Storz fittings, valves and wyes, wrenches, and tools.
2006: Dixon added more brass fire hose fittings to its line with the acquisition of Powhatan.
2008: Dixon opened a sales and distribution operation in Singapore, along with sales and warehouse facilities in the Chinese city of Shanghai.
2010: Bob Grace became Dixon’s president, with a reinforcement of the company’s commitment to developing new products and focusing on North American manufacturing. This includes continuing to make the “core” products that served the company well over the years, while adding innovative new products for the industrial hose market.
2011: Dixon acquired Northline Coupling Systems, absorbing it into the Dixon Fire product line.
2012: Dixon opened a 12,000-square-foot Innovation Center, to better service customers.
That same year, the company acquired Eagle America (now the Dixon Eagle product line), a bellows sealed valve manufacturer for critical applications.
2014: Dixon introduced the Vent-Lock® safety release cam & groove coupling. In addition, the Solutions on Site (SOS) van was created to help customers.
Also that year, Dixon supplied LNG bunkering couplings to Harvey Gulf, owners of North America’s first LNG-powered vessels.
2016: Dixon celebrated the centennial of the company’s founding on March 21. The company continues to promote the ideal blend of core hose accessories and solutions-based engineered products, a strategy that effectively positions Dixon to be a world leader in fluid transfer solutions.
2017: Dixon acquired Automated Design Services Inc. (ADS Controls), a manufacturer of the product brands Outalarm (portable level alarms), Spillguard (automatic high level shutdown systems), and Batchgard (automatic batch control systems). The acquisition expanded Dixon’s sensor technology to include capacitive and ultrasonic-type sensors.
Additionally, on June 27, Dixon officially broke ground on a highly-automated, 150,000-square-foot distribution center in Chestertown.
2018: Dixon began construction on a new corporate business campus—headquarters, manufacturing, and distribution buildings—at the northern tip of Chestertown.
Taylor Goodall (pictured left) was named president of The Dixon Group, marking the company’s fourth generation of family leadership. He is the great-grandson of the company’s founder. His father, RL Goodall (pictured right), was named chairman of The Dixon Group.
In June, Dixon Bayco moved into a 40,000-square-foot building in West Chester, Ohio.
In July, Dixon shipped its first package from its new 150,000-square-foot distribution center in Chestertown.
2020: Dixon moved into the new headquarters building.
2021: Dixon opened another manufacturing facility in Chestertown, which completed the initial phase of Dixon’s corporate business campus.
2022: Dixon Specialty Products expanded their swivel joint and loading arm offerings by opening a 30,000-square-foot building with a terminal hands-on demonstration lab for interactive training.
2024: Dixva operations expanded in Mexico with the opening of a new warehouse in Mexico City.
2025: Dixon expanded its footprint with a new 55,000-square-foot distribution and training center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The facility consolidated the branches in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Portland, Oregon, into one western hub.
2026: Dixon celebrates 110 years of Uncommon Excellence®. In addition, 2026 marks 50 years since Dixon established operations in Chestertown. Together, these anniversaries represent a meaningful moment in our company’s history—highlighting longevity, stability, and deep roots in the community.
Still Made in the USA
The way we advertise our products may have changed over the years, but one thing has remained constant—genuine Dixon products are still manufactured to the highest quality standards in the U.S. from 1916 until today. Dixon is proud to have a 110-year legacy, and we are excited to continue providing The Right Connection®.
For more information, visit dixonvalve.com or call 877.963.4966.
