100% Employee-Owned: What It Means at DSI
100% Employee-Owned. Fully Invested in Your Success.
At DSI, employee ownership means the people designing, building, installing, and supporting your systems have a personal stake in doing the job right.
What Employee Ownership Means at DSI
Being employee-owned changes how we think about the work. Our employees aren’t simply completing a project for someone else’s company. We’re building the reputation and long-term value of a company we collectively own.
DSI is owned by its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Learn more about DSI and the people behind our work.
Think Like an Owner
We take responsibility for our work and the commitments we make.
Build for the Long Term
Shortcuts that create tomorrow’s problems aren’t good for our customers or our company.
Work as One Team
Electrical, automation, fabrication, panel, welding, and field teams succeed together.
Earn Customer Trust
Long-term relationships are built through consistent execution, communication, and accountability.
What an ESOP Is
An ESOP is a retirement plan that holds company stock for employees. DSI contributes shares to the plan, and those shares build up in each employee-owner’s account over their career. Employees don’t pay to join. The longer they stay and the better the company performs, the more their ownership is worth.
ESOPs are a proven ownership model. About 6,400 U.S. companies have one, covering roughly 15 million participants, and they are especially common in industries like manufacturing.
Includes:
- No cost to employees to participate
- Ownership that grows with tenure and company performance
- A long-term stake in every project’s outcome
When You Work With DSI, You’re Working With Owners
Employee ownership reinforces the accountability our customers expect from DSI. From estimating and project management through fabrication, installation, startup, and ongoing field support, our employees share a common interest in getting the work right and building relationships that last.
Greater Accountability
Ownership encourages people to take responsibility for outcomes.
Long-Term Thinking
We’re building customer relationships, not simply completing transactions.
Shared Success
The success of our customers contributes to the success of DSI and its employee-owners.
One DSI Team
Integrated teams have a shared interest in making the entire project successful.
What It Means for Our Employee-Owners
At DSI, ownership is not symbolic. It is a real financial stake that builds over a career.
Research on ESOP companies backs this up. A peer-reviewed study found ESOP participants have more than twice the average retirement savings of Americans nationally. Rutgers University researchers found that workers with employee ownership were laid off six times less often than those without, which matters in cyclical industries like ours.
Ownership is only part of the package. Many companies offer an ESOP or a 401(k) match, but not both. DSI offers both, so your ESOP shares and your own 401(k) savings grow side by side. Employees also get free health, dental, and vision insurance.
What employee-owners get:
- A retirement benefit that grows as DSI grows
- Stability in industries known for boom-and-bust cycles
- Work that directly affects the value of their own account
- The chance to build something that lasts
- A 401(k) with a company match of up to 3%, on top of the ESOP
- Free health, dental, and vision insurance
“It gives you something bigger to cheer for. You’re not just working for a company. You have a stake in what everybody’s building together.”
Jayden Siemonsma, Supply Chain Manager, 12 years at DSI
“The ESOP’s huge. It gives you a sense of pride in the place you’re working and knowing that you are part of ownership.”
John Serr, Operations Manager, with DSI since 2013
Why Employee Ownership Makes DSI Stronger
DSI has come through the 2008 recession, two oil price collapses, and more than 25 years of industry cycles. Employee ownership is part of how we plan to keep doing that.
It keeps DSI independent. Decisions are made for the long term: investing in people, equipment, certifications, and customer relationships.
It keeps experienced people in the building. In a National Center for Employee Ownership survey, 79% of ESOP company leaders said they do better than non-ESOP competitors at retaining and recruiting employees. For customers, that means experienced crews on your project instead of constant turnover.
And it ties everyone to the same goal: do the job right, stand behind it, and earn the next one.
Owners on Every Job
- Same team from design through startup
- Experienced crews who stay
- Long-term support after commissioning
- Accountability built into ownership
- Independent and built to last
Employee Ownership Questions
For customers
What does “100% employee-owned” mean for my project?
The people designing, building, and commissioning your system are owners of the company. They share in DSI’s reputation and results, so they have a personal stake in getting your project right.
Does employee ownership change who I work with?
It helps keep the same people on your account. Employee-owners tend to stay longer, so you get consistent contacts who know your systems, your site, and your history.
Is an employee-owned company financially stable?
DSI has operated for more than 25 years through recessions and oil price downturns. Employee ownership supports long-term decisions instead of short-term pressure from outside investors.
Who do I call if something needs to be fixed after startup?
The same team that built it. Employee-owners stand behind their work, and our field services team provides long-term support, including 24/7 emergency service.
General questions
What is an ESOP?
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan is a retirement plan that holds company stock for employees. It is the most common form of employee ownership in the United States.
How common are ESOPs?
About 6,400 U.S. companies have an ESOP, covering roughly 15 million participants.
Is DSI hiring?
Yes. Visit our Careers page to see open positions and learn what it means to become an employee-owner at DSI.
For employees and future employee-owners
How do I become an employee-owner?
You don’t need to sign up or buy anything. You become an ESOP participant once you are at least 18 years old, work at least 1,000 hours in the calendar year, and are still employed on December 31. If you retire during the year, you still qualify for that year’s allocation, even if you worked fewer than 1,000 hours.
Do I pay for my shares?
No. DSI contributes shares to the ESOP on your behalf. It is a company-funded benefit, separate from your paycheck.
How are shares allocated to my account?
Shares are allocated once a year based on your compensation during the plan year. The allocations are handled by The Principal, a third-party plan administrator.
What does “vesting” mean?
Vesting is how much of your account you have earned the right to keep. DSI uses a 6-year vesting schedule:
- Year 1: 0%
- Year 2: 20%
- Year 3: 40%
- Year 4: 60%
- Year 5: 80%
- Year 6: 100%
Once you reach age 65, you are 100% vested.
How is the value of my shares determined?
Because DSI is privately held, the company stock is valued every year and a new share price is set. Your ESOP information and stock certificates are mailed to your home address on file each year in mid to late July.
What happens to my account if I leave DSI?
You keep your vested shares. The Principal will mail you paperwork to choose how you want to receive your payout, so keep your mailing address current with DSI even after you leave. It is also a good idea to make sure you have named a beneficiary for your account.
When do I get paid out after I leave?
It depends on why you leave and the size of your vested balance:
- Retirement: payments begin no later than one year after the end of the plan year you leave.
- Disability: payments begin by the end of the plan year after you are determined to be disabled.
- Death: your beneficiary is paid the full value of your account.
- Leaving for another reason: balances of $1,000 or less are paid in one lump sum. Balances over $1,000 and up to $7,000 are paid out the way you choose, and if you do not choose, they are rolled into an IRA. For balances over $7,000, DSI’s board reviews each year whether to pay in a lump sum or wait up to five years to begin.
If I leave and come back, do I lose my ownership?
Not necessarily. If you were a participant before, you become a participant again on the date you are rehired.
- If you were partly or fully vested when you left, your earlier vesting service is restored.
- If you were not vested when you left, your vesting service and unvested balance can be restored if you return within five years and repay any payout you received.
- If you were gone five or more years in a row, different rules apply.
Talk with HR about your specific situation.
Is the ESOP my only retirement benefit?
No. In addition to the ESOP, DSI offers a 401(k), available after 90 days of employment, and matches contributions up to 3%. Many companies offer one or the other. DSI offers both. Employees also get free health, dental, and vision insurance.
Do I get a say in how the company is run?
You share in the company’s results. Day-to-day management is handled by DSI’s leadership and board, and the ESOP trustee votes the shares on behalf of participants for most matters. What every employee-owner controls is the quality of their own work, which directly affects the value of everyone’s account.
Work With a Team of Owners
Tell us what you are building, upgrading, or troubleshooting. You’ll be working with people who own the outcome.
100% Employee-Owned | 25+ Years in the Field | UL-Certified Panel Shop | ASME R Stamp Welding Certification | 6 Locations | Serving Oil & Gas, Industrial, and Municipal Customers