NOTICE: REGARDING TREADLOK GUN SAFES
Tread Corporation sold the Treadlok brand over two decades ago and has no current affiliation with Treadlok products. We do not retain any documentation, specifications, or service information for Treadlok gun safes, and unfortunately we are unable to assist with product support, replacement parts, or warranty inquiries.
If you are experiencing a lock issue with a Treadlok safe, we recommend contacting a qualified locksmith in your area.
We appreciate your understanding and wish you the best in finding the help you need.
1957-1967
Founded by Charlie Burress, Tread Corporation opened for business in 1957. Mr. Burress garnered interest in the explosives industry during his time in the military. His primary assignments lent him extensive experience with explosives. Working as a dynamite and caps distributor for the Atlas Powder Company, Mr. Burress developed his company’s vision by applying a rigorous work ethic and his own creative ingenuity. In those early years, Tread was located in a small building on 30th Street in northwest Roanoke. Building “treads” for air track drills evoked the namesake. Mr. Burress saw a business opportunity within the explosives industry and opened a storage and mixing site in the Dixie Caverns area of western Roanoke County. Through bagging of Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil (ANFO) products, he created a successful and safe procedure for scoring and transporting explosive components. Today this site is still active but functioning under Orica USA Incorporated. In the early 1960s, demand for bagged products was on the rise due to the construction of interstate highway systems. This led Tread to be the “one-stop-shop” for explosive handling needs. Responding to customers’ wishes, Tread began constructing storage magazines and bulk AN (Aluminum Nitrate)/ANFO container bins. Tread’s foundation is based on a consumer-based philosophy taken directly from its customers’ needs, which are based on industry developments and changes.
1967-1977
Tread Corporation was purchased by local business man Spencer Frantz, Lanier Frantz, and George Cole in 1967. Their relationship grew from a prior common interest in flying sail planes. Under the leadership of Frantz and Cole, Tread began testing the waters of new ventures outside of the explosives trade. The ownership team believed in creating new business opportunities through metal fabrication sub-contracting for such companies as General Electric, Inland Motors, Otis Elevator, and Graham-White. They also produced products as diverse as the Club Scrub, a coin-operated golf club cleaning machine; two amusement park rides known as the Flying Mouse and the Moon Scooter; and the design and vending of facility dumpsters. Although these products were solid in design and capabilities, the diversion from mining industry products was short-lived.
In 1970 the Organized Crime Control Ace was passed by the federal government, thereby increasing regulatory requirements for explosives storage. Simultaneously, the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline also began. These two events created a high demand for “regulation-approved” explosive storage. To fulfill our customers’ needs, Tread began designing three new products; which included the Modular Type I Permanent, Trailer-Mounted, and a “duplex” type for high-volume storage magazines.
1967-1977 cont
In 1972, Tread relocated its manufacturing facility to nearby Granby Street in Roanoke. Fueled by its customer-focused vision, Tread continued its success with manufacturing explosive containers while developing new business relationships. One line of new business was with Pittsburg, Pennsylvania’s Heyl and Patterson, the builder of rail car dumpers and barge loading equipment. Another venture was designing and marketing Security Gun chests, later known as Treadlok Security Safes. Tom Watts joined Tread in 1972 and helped develop the business of remanufacturing underground mining equipment. Mr. Watts worked his way up to plant manager, then to co-owner and eventually became president in 2008.
1977-1987
As the popularity of bulk blasting agents increased, Tread began building customized bucket elevators, mixing equipment, and various explosives handling equipment.
Based on new demands, Tread decides to close the underground equipment rebuild division to focus on mobile loading devices. Tread also increased manufacturing of security safes to meet that growing market demand, and made the decision to sell its explosives distributorship, which is now part of the Dyno Group. In 1980, Tread Corporation manufactured and delivered the first mobile AN loading equipment. In 1982, they built and delivered the first mobile “blended-product” loading system. As the number of trucks in the field increased, Tread began offering field equipment servicing. Additionally, an in-house equipment operating school was offered to its customers. In 1985, the first export unit was shipped.
1987-1997
A new team of management of John Frye, Tom Watts, and Jim Cole took the helm. John Frye worked as chief executive officer and president, with a background in international business through his career at Exxon. Tom Watts, a 10-year Tread employee, brought underground and surface explosives connections through his work with businesses in the Appalachian coal fields. Jim Cole, son of Tread alum George Cole, took the lead in engineering, beginning his Tread career in manufacturing then to floor supervisor after working at Westinghouse. The trio increased their engineering staff and incorporated Computer-Aided Design (CAD) into the department. Tread began using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in the design process to determine the structural integrity of the tanks. In 1995, new federal regulations made the old 306-type tanks obsolete; replacing them with the new DOT 412 Tanks.
1997- Present
Tread continues its philosophy of customer focus, new business relationships, and product implementation. The most significant growth came in the international markets, where we expanded into Australia, Asia, and Eastern European countries. Tread expands its growing list of customers by forming new business connections with many international companies.
In 2022, Tread’s 65th anniversary marked its continuing service to the explosives industry.
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