Company Profile
Company Overview
Kirby Corporation conducts operations in two business segments: Marine Transportation and Diesel Engine Services.
Through the Marine Transportation segment, Kirby operates as the premier tank barge operator in the United States, transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, along all three U.S. Coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. Kirby’s service includes the transporting of petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemical products by tank barge. Kirby also owns and operates six offshore barge and tugboat units transporting dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade.
In the Diesel Engine Services segment, Kirby is the leading after-market service provider for medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines, reduction gears and ancillary products for marine and power generation applications. Kirby also serves as a distributor and service provider for high-speed diesel engines, transmissions, pumps and compression products, and manufactures and remanfactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping units, for the land-based pressure pumping and oilfield service markets.
For additional information and to apply for open positions, please visit: http://kirbycorp.com/.
Company History
The history of Kirby can be traced back to 1921 when John Henry Kirby, a pioneer in the development of the Houston business community, formed Kirby Petroleum Company, an independent oil and gas exploration and development company. Kirby’s stock first publicly traded in 1956 following a merger with Kirby VenSyn Petroleum Co.
Kirby entered the marine transportation business in 1969 with the acquisition of Dixie Carriers, Inc. In the 1970’s, following a major business restructuring, Dixie Carriers, along with a number of oil and gas interests and other assets, became part of Kirby Exploration Company which began publicly trading in 1976 under the ticker “KEX”. In 1987, the Board of Directors adopted a strategy to focus on the core marine transportation and diesel engine services businesses, following through the next year with the sale of the oil and gas assets. The name of the company was changed to Kirby Corporation in 1990.
Today, Kirby Corporation operates the nation’s largest domestic tank barge operator transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, along all three U.S. coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. Kirby transports petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals by tank barge for a blue chip list of customers. In the diesel engine services segment, Kirby operates the largest marine diesel engine service and repair company in the country and also services engines in the industrial, power generation and land-based, or oilfield services, industries.
Kirby and its marine transportation and diesel engine services segments have approximately 4,500 employees. Kirby’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange trading under the symbol “KEX”.