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Vopak named top industry
  
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By ROY N. KENT
Long before there was a Texas, long before there was a United States of America even, there was a Vopak.
Vopak has a 400-year history. It was born from the Dutch East Indies Company, something of which schoolchildren across the world study today.
Vopak-Deer Park stands as one of the world’s largest storage terminals and its presence is among one of the major industries that help the local economy grow. For that and other reasons, Vopak-Deer Park was honored as the Industry of the Year on Thursday by the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce.
With hundreds of people crowding the Jimmy Burke Activity Center, the Port of Houston ended its reign as Industry of the Year, happily giving over the award to a business partner.
Deer Park City Council member Charles Garrison read a proclamation from Mayor Wayne Riddle honoring Vopak for its being named 2008 Industry of the Year. The proclamation one of more than a dozen given to Vopak. Honors came from Texas Gov. Rick Perry to Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia to mayors Johnny Isbell of Pasadena and Alton Porter of La Porte.
Charlie Jenkins, director of planning for the Port of Houston Authority, handed over the award Lawrence Waldron of the Vopak-Deer Park terminal.
“It’s a great privilege to receive this honor,” Waldron said. “Vopak sits in a network of plants that help make Deer Park and the Port of Houston work.”
Waldron then took a minute to explain what Vopak actually does.
“What we do is primarily what the Port of Houston does with container storage,” Waldron said. “We just do it with liquids.”
In stating the United States produces about 5 million barrels of crude a day, Waldron was able to give some perspective on the Deer Park facility.
“The Deer Park terminal is one of the largest terminals in the world,” he said. “There is enough storage to store what the United States produces per day.”
As part of its commitment to the area, Vopak has joined the Project Stars program of Garcia’s office and recently placed a mural on one of its tanks. The mural depicts a Texian soldier pointing the way to the Lynchburg Ferry. To commemorate the artwork, Vopak gave attendees a cup emblazoned with the picture.
“We looked hard and wide to find a cup that is shaped like a storage terminal,” he said.
Among the goals of Project Stars is to “make us a museum to the world,” Waldron said.
In conclusion, Waldron had his coworkers who attended the event stand up, taking up a good portion of the crowd.
“We really consider it an honor to receive this award,” he said.
Vopak has a 400-year history. It was born from the Dutch East Indies Company, something of which schoolchildren across the world study today.
Vopak-Deer Park stands as one of the world’s largest storage terminals and its presence is among one of the major industries that help the local economy grow. For that and other reasons, Vopak-Deer Park was honored as the Industry of the Year on Thursday by the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce.
With hundreds of people crowding the Jimmy Burke Activity Center, the Port of Houston ended its reign as Industry of the Year, happily giving over the award to a business partner.
Deer Park City Council member Charles Garrison read a proclamation from Mayor Wayne Riddle honoring Vopak for its being named 2008 Industry of the Year. The proclamation one of more than a dozen given to Vopak. Honors came from Texas Gov. Rick Perry to Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia to mayors Johnny Isbell of Pasadena and Alton Porter of La Porte.
Charlie Jenkins, director of planning for the Port of Houston Authority, handed over the award Lawrence Waldron of the Vopak-Deer Park terminal.
“It’s a great privilege to receive this honor,” Waldron said. “Vopak sits in a network of plants that help make Deer Park and the Port of Houston work.”
Waldron then took a minute to explain what Vopak actually does.
“What we do is primarily what the Port of Houston does with container storage,” Waldron said. “We just do it with liquids.”
In stating the United States produces about 5 million barrels of crude a day, Waldron was able to give some perspective on the Deer Park facility.
“The Deer Park terminal is one of the largest terminals in the world,” he said. “There is enough storage to store what the United States produces per day.”
As part of its commitment to the area, Vopak has joined the Project Stars program of Garcia’s office and recently placed a mural on one of its tanks. The mural depicts a Texian soldier pointing the way to the Lynchburg Ferry. To commemorate the artwork, Vopak gave attendees a cup emblazoned with the picture.
“We looked hard and wide to find a cup that is shaped like a storage terminal,” he said.
Among the goals of Project Stars is to “make us a museum to the world,” Waldron said.
In conclusion, Waldron had his coworkers who attended the event stand up, taking up a good portion of the crowd.
“We really consider it an honor to receive this award,” he said.
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