Family owned Dix Corp. thrives on accepting big, challenging projects

by Mike McLean

In the half-century that Spokane specialty contractor Dix Corp. has been taking on unusual and risky construction projects, the only thing that’s become routine at the company is family involvement.

Founded here 60 years ago by Peter Dix as a steel building contractor named Dix Steel Building Co., the company later became known as a problem solver, and increasingly took on unusual projects—ranging from giant shipping cranes at seaports and the U.S. Pavilion at Expo ’74 to fish-collection systems at dams and the floating green at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. All the while, it’s been run by a member of the Dix family, with Peter’s son, Patrick, taking over in the 1970s. Patrick co-owns the company with his brother, Peter Dix Jr., who runs Cobra Roofing Services Inc., of Spokane, which the brothers also co-own.

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