Dura-Line Corp. will spend $10 million over the next six months on technology and infrastructure that will increase capacity at three of its 10 U.S. plants.
The Knoxville, Tenn.-based company also is realigning management of two core businesses that serve North American pressure pipe and conduit customers in a wide range of markets, including communication, energy, water and gas distribution sectors.
Vince Dimino was named president of infrastructure business solutions for the United States and Canada and Dale Wilson is president of datacom and power solutions for the two countries.
The management change will help Dura-Line meet various U.S. market challenges, such as raw materials sourcing, diverse needs of end users and distributors, tailoring new products to specific requirements, according to company spokeswoman Tanya Kanczuzewski.
Ever since it acquired PolyPipe Holdings Inc. in April 2012, Dura-Line has been trying to strengthen its U.S. footprint.
The PolyPipe purchase for undisclosed terms dramatically broadened Dura-Line's pressure pipe product lines by size, feature and function and they now span a range from a half-inch to 63 inches, Kanczuzewski said.
The investment to increase capacity will be made at production plants in Gainesville and Midland, Texas, and one in Elyria, Ohio. The technology upgrade will include extruders, gravimetric controls, monitoring systems and automation.
“With the realignment into two separate business units and investments, our goal is for significant growth and profitability in the U.S. for 2014 and beyond,” Kanczuzewski said.
Dura-Line ranks seventh among pipe, profile and tubing extruders with extrusion sales of about $500 million, according to the latest ranking by Plastics News.