PVC pipe makers Sanderson Pipe Corp. and Vinylplex Inc. are merging, the president of both companies, Eric D. Howard, said May 1.
Clarksville, Tenn.-based Sanderson is a regional manufacturer of plumbing, irrigation and waterworks pipe while Vinylplex of Pittsburg, Kan., manufactures pipe for regional water utility companies throughout the Midwest.
The companies have been operating separately under common ownership, said Howard, who will remain as president of the new enterprise. The merged business will operate as Sanderson Pipe starting June 1, and have its corporate offices in Clarksville.
Howard expects the merger to be complete by the end of third quarter 2018, he told Plastics News, adding: "The merger will give us a larger footprint with both national and regional customers and better position Sanderson Pipe in the very competitive PVC pipe market."
"We will continue to operate all three plants. We are fortunate to have very experienced employees making quality pipe every day in Pittsburg, Clarksville and Sanderson, Fla. The combined company will give us the ability to better service customers from multiple ship points."
Howard added that as of June 1, the sales department will be restructured with a waterworks sales division and a plumbing/irrigation sales division.
The three plants employ a total of 167 people, said Howard, who did not disclose companies' revenues and growth strategy.
In a news release, he said "the combined company will provide a larger, unified presence in the PVC pipe market. We are well positioned to grow the business by focusing on the basics of producing quality product, being easy to do business with, and delivering orders on time."
Sanderson Pipe has manufactured PVC pipe, from a half inch to 18 inches in diameter, since 1998. Its production facilities are in Clarksville and Sanderson,
Vinylplex started with two production lines in 1971. It made PVC pipe for the rural water market originally before expanding to service the waterworks market throughout the greater Midwest, producing pipe ranging in diameter from 1.5 and to 15 inches.