Building products manufacturer Versatex will invest $40 million in Aliquippa, Pa., to construct a second manufacturing plant that will increase capacity, add siding to the product lineup and create 80 jobs.
The subsidiary of Skokie, Ill.-based Azek Co. Inc. also will renovate its existing facility in Aliquippa that employs 180.
Founded in 2004, Versatex produces exterior trim and mouldings. The new 96,500-square-foot facility will allow the company to also begin production of a new composite siding, according to a news release from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state's Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
Versatex is beginning to offer a cellular PVC composite lap siding product called Xceed that comes in 16-foot lengths — as opposed to standard vinyl siding lengths of 12 feet — to minimize seams and butt joints for residential construction and remodeling applications.
Xceed siding also is ¼-inch thick with the insulating value of a 1-inch hardwood and has a heat-resistant acrylic capstock to ensure color hold and a self-leveling feature (VZ Drop-Lock) that maintains a level line, according to Versatex officials.
In addition, the new siding line can be paired with complimentary trim components.
Xceed siding was introduced to the market in December 2023. At the time, company officials said sales would be limited to the Northeast region of New York state and New England while they further develop the product line and build capacity to expand into all North American markets.
The new facility, called Versatex 2, is built and awaiting electrical power and the installation of equipment, according to a recent Instagram post by John D. Pace, one of the Versatex co-founders.
Pace expects the new plant to be operating in January or February 2025.
To help with the Aliquippa expansion, Versatex received a $2.65 million Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan, a $400,000 Pennsylvania First grant, and a $160,000 workforce development grant to train workers from the DCED.
"This approximately $40 million investment underscores our commitment to innovation, sustainability and economic growth. Combined with Azek's approximately $58 million investment at its Scranton locations in recent years, we are not only bolstering the local economy but also reinforcing Pennsylvania's reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse," Versatex President Scott Van Winter said in a news release.
In Aliquippa, Versatex will double its manufacturing capacity to build out the entirely new production line, the governor said in the release.
"That's why my budget proposes $600 million in economic development initiatives to grow our economy, rebuild our communities, and help Pennsylvania compete to win. We can turn dirt into jobs and do big things again in Pennsylvania — but we need to invest to make it happen," Gov. Josh Shapiro said.
Versatex also will add machinery to increase use of recycled material in the production process, the release says.
Azek acquired the company in 2018.
With estimated sales of $950 million, Azek is the ninth largest pipe, profile and tubing producer in North America, according to Plastics News data.