How its Made: Knoxville Edition

We’re excited to introduce our newest event series, How It’s Made: Knoxville Edition, a quarterly behind-the-scenes tour giving guests a firsthand look at how local businesses operate. Each tour visits different businesses in Knoxville and the surrounding counties, providing an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the people, processes, and day-to-day work that keep these organizations running. Host businesses get the chance to share their stories, showcase their work, and build relationships within the community.

Join us for the next installment of our How It’s Made: Knoxville Edition tour at Dalen Products, a new Enterprise Chamber member and third-generation, family-owned manufacturer rooted in Knoxville since 1975.

Founded by engineer Neal Caldwell, Dalen Products began with the Automator for tomato gardening and has grown into a company known for designing practical, patent-protected solutions that help gardeners across the country. Many of their original products remain in use today, while others have evolved through decades of innovation.

This tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at Dalen’s manufacturing environment. Attendees will walk through the facility, observe production processes, and see how products are made, assembled, and prepared for distribution. A highlight of the visit will be Dalen’s well-known owl deterrents—one of their most widely recognized products, used by organizations including NASA.

Dalen’s work is grounded in a continued commitment to people, community, and environmental stewardship, values that have guided the company since its founding.

What to expect:

• Approximately one-hour walking tour through a manufacturing facility
• Attendance is limited to 25 participants
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for an industrial environment
• Light refreshments may be provided; please plan accordingly

Come ready to explore, ask questions, and see a familiar place in a unique way!