Duncan Machine Products Dedicates Building for Aerospace Manufacturing

November 12, 2019

By Charlene Belew The Duncan Banner

Chris and Teri Billings, owners of Duncan Machine Products (DMP) are continuing to expand their business, adding aerospace into its repertoire.

After 11 years in the metals manufacturing industry, Duncan Machine Products (DMP) is continuing to expand, adding aerospace into its repertoire. 

Friday, Nov. 8 marked the dedication of DMP’s north building, which Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt attended. Chris and Teri Billings, owners of DMP, previously attended the 2019 Paris Air Show with Gov. Stitt, which landed them a contract in aerospace, along with several other leads.

Chris Deal, Duncan Chamber of Commerce president, said DMP had already started getting contracts in aerospace before the air show, which resulted in the north building’s construction.

“Now that it’s completed, in just a few weeks machines will be moved in there to start working on these aerospace contracts,” Deal said. “They’re continuing to expand and while the oilfield environment is still choppy, they still get a lot of oilfield work, but they’re diversifying in metals manufacturing. Duncan has some of the best metal manufacturers and that’s their passion.”

Deal welcomed everyone attending the ceremony before saying DMP is a leader in all things manufacturing, whether that’s in oil field, defense or other manufacturing.

“This building (represents) a great investment in our community,” Deal said. “DMP is an extraordinary company, one that is built on building relationships. If anyone wants to know what Chris and Teri Billings bring to the table that is so unique is the capacity to communicate one-on-one and fulfill a customer’s need at the level they’ve not experienced before, and from that, they’ve experienced great growth and great advocacy, not just from this community and the ones who love them, but also from their employees.”

The dedication included a ribbon cutting ceremony as well as words from the Billings family.

Teri Billings welcomed the audience and told the story of how they received help in finding a banker and an attorney. She said since the beginning, it’s taken a team.

“We just have an amazing team that is family and just amazing people that have come along beside us, Liberty National Bank now, just so many friends,” Teri Billings said. “Chris loves to dream, I love to keep him a little bit grounded. Paul Scott was amazing, he got us to Paris this summer, he tried to push us the year before to go to London. He’s working hard for the southwest region … and he has pushed us hard, got us to go to Paris, got us to work with the Governor, and I’ll tell you, our Governor works. He impressed us enough we might vote for him next time.”

She said while they were in Paris with Stitt, he went from meeting to meeting and found a way to attract people to Oklahoma.

“He didn’t go to their booths, he got them to come to Oklahoma,” she said. “He’s trying to bring aerospace work to Oklahoma and not just Tulsa and Oklahoma City, they’ve got enough -- southwest Oklahoma, we need some of that. We’re excited about that.”

Chris Billings said support is what got them here 11 years later.

“Obviously we could not do it without you and we’re blessed beyond words,” Chris Billings said.

Rep. Marcus McEntire said a few words next. He noted this “is what success looks like.”

“The success that this couple has had is amazing, but what is even more amazing to me is their ability and their willingness to give back to Duncan,” McEntire said. “That says volumes about them and their character, and them as people. God bless you, keep being successful because we know if the Billings are successful, and your employees are successful, then Duncan is successful.”

Sen. Paul Scott then welcomed the governor and acknowledged the 100th anniversary of Halliburton and the dedication of the new building for DMP made Nov. 8 “an awesome day.”

“What a great day for southwest Oklahoma, for Duncan. I am so proud right now, I mean I’m just about to explode, man,” Scott said. “I said over at Halliburton it’s an amazing thing to have the governor here with us today … I’m glad he’s here to help celebrate what Chris and Teri are doing, not only for our community, (but for) our town, our state. I mean they do so much that a lot of people don’t even realize that they’re doing it. It’s just a great thing to have them in southwest Oklahoma.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt recounted the story of Halliburton’s founding in 1919 by Erle P Halliburton, a team of mules and a borrowed wagon.

“It’s the innovation, it’s the vision of one person that changes so many lives,” Stitt said, “Chris, Teri, that’s your kind of vision, is to turn this place into the next Halliburton because anything is possible in America, and especially in Oklahoma when you have a vision.”

Stitt said the Billings have caused change within their 62 team members lives, along with the lives of those who constructed the building and laid the concrete. Stitt said the payroll that’s spent brings money into the community with each dollar spending seven times. 

“Everything comes back to commerce,” Stitt said. “Everything comes back to growth. I really want Oklahoma to be a Top Ten state. We can do it in our state. We take second to no other state. I remind everybody that Oklahoma is a step above Texas.”

Stitt then told of how he met the Billings in Paris and the work they put in while they were there. He said growth like this is the goal for Oklahoma.

“These folks got a contract … while they were there, they got some other good leads and that’s what it’s all about,” Stitt said. “We had a great Oklahoma booth, we set up and we brought all these companies in. We want to do the work right here in Southwest Oklahoma. Aviation is a huge cluster for our state, we’re going to continue to build on that.”