Hiltz Propane Systems unveils new headquarters, provides inside look at its equipment, operations

What took place this fall at Hiltz Propane Systems in Marietta, Pennsylvania, was far more than a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration.

Instead, this event was a chance for company leaders, employees and customers, among other attendees, to strengthen relationships and for guests to understand the full scope of Hiltz Propane Systems’ capabilities here in the mid-Atlantic region.

“This event allowed our customers and partners to connect personally with our team and see the scale of what we do,” says Matt Hiltz, founder and owner of Hiltz Propane Systems. “From our engineers to our lift operators, every employee plays a role in delivering quality and service at the highest level.”

In front of about 130 attendees, Hiltz Propane Systems officially celebrated the opening of its new 75,000-sq.-ft. headquarters. The newly constructed facility, which guests were invited to tour, brings together expanded office, meeting and production areas. The company moved into the space in May and began full operations in September.

▶ ‘Multi-service provider’

While the fall event provided plenty of networking opportunities, it also gave attendees a close look at Hiltz Propane Systems’ operations. The company, with about 60 employees, prides itself on propane system design, installation and maintenance across a number of markets and customer applications.

“We call ourselves a multi-service provider of turnkey installations,” Hiltz says. “But until people can come and visit and see all that we do and the size of our company, it’s hard to fully grasp our capabilities.”

Among the features of the new facility is a blast booth, which enhances production efficiency and safety, particularly in the preparation and refinishing of large propane tanks. Hiltz describes it as “the linchpin of the whole operation.” The blast booth represents one of several technology and workflow upgrades introduced as part of the expansion.

“That would be one of the larger pieces of equipment we invested in,” Hiltz says. “That booth increases safety and health, and [adds] efficiencies and the ability to build capacity. We are able to take a 30,000-gallon propane tank and process it through that booth in four hours, where our old process took us close to two days.”

While the blast booth was a highlight of the fall event, Hiltz says, the company also showcased its heavy-lift equipment and logistics capabilities for guests.

“They were able to see some of the tanks, what they look like before [refurbishing],” Hiltz says. “But then also what they look like after we’ve stripped them down, and we take the time to inspect them and go over them and then going through the finishing process. That would be something they would not see unless they were here to go through [the facility].”

▶ Target markets

Tanks are the foundation of the Hiltz business. Bulk plant builds for propane retailers are among its target markets. The company also serves industrial or commercial end users – large warehousing customers, for example – as well as the agricultural sector and customers in need of natural gas backup systems. They all require propane tanks ranging in size from 6,000 gallons to 90,000 gallons.

“When you combine those target markets, it’s allowed us to grow quite aggressively in the last 10 to 15 years,” Hiltz says. “And we do see that continuing.”

Tank-only sales are also a large part of the company’s business – from reselling refurbished units to delivering new tanks for installers and end users.

“It’s one thing to say we have tanks – it’s another to stand in front of 165 30,000-gallon tanks,” says Peyton Moody, vice president of sales and service. “That allows us to support our customers with speed and reliability.”

The company maintains some operations at its original facility across the street from the new headquarters, and Hiltz anticipates completing the move late this year or in early 2026. Then the focus shifts to the next three to five years. Expansion plans are already underway to support growing demand for refurbishment services and high-capacity processing.

“We’re building for the next three to five years,” Hiltz says. “Our goal is to scale intelligently – expanding our space, increasing downstream capacity and continuing to deliver value to our customers.”