Indoor plumbing dates back to 2500 B.C., and a lot has changed since then. The tools, the basic layouts, and the purposes of the utility might all look a little similar, but there probably wasn’t as high a demand for plumbers.
Or plumbing fixtures.
Situations like increasing drought-like conditions around the world, aging water distribution plants, and drainage systems in need of replacement, have created a need for more fixtures. The market size is expected to continue to grow well into 2024, with a variety of goods and sizes needed based on the individual needs of corporations.
Several companies are profiting off this, especially those that manufacture and create these pipes and fixtures. Companies like Uponor, which is investing $6.35 million to expand PEX pipe manufacturing.
The company announced on July 20 that they signed an agreement to purchase a 237,000-square-foot facility located 70 miles from its North American Headquarters. It expects the closing of the facility, which is still being run by previous owners, in August 2017, and re-opening in early 2019.
The facility will be modeled after its main facility located in Apple Valley, Minnesota and will continue to be committed to sustainability standards and operational excellence. Their Apple Valley location won awards for these standards.
President of Uponor North America, Bill Gray, is optimistic that this investment will increase the capacity of their company’s productions.
“Uponor is seeing unprecedented product demand as a result of continued growth in commercial and residential construction. This investment will allow Uponor to increase production capacity as we build a future on innovation, education, and advocacy to better serve our customers while also growing the state’s manufacturing workforce,” said Gray.
The new site, located in Hutchinson, Minnesota, is an attractive location with access to manufacturing talent pools. These talent sources are close enough to the company’s present operations, and so that means that they can use shared services.
The company has expanded 11 times since coming to Minnesota in 1990.
This purchase comes right after Uponor had an announcement in May that it will expand their Apple Valley facility with a large $17.4 million investment.
That expansion is expected to be completed by July 2018.
