Westlake, Texas-based Pipeline Plastics LLC will build its fifth factory in Rupert, Idaho, where it plans to create 50 jobs.
The manufacturer of polyethylene pipes for drinking water, irrigation, mining, sewer, and oil and gas gathering broke ground Jan. 17 on a facility expected to be completed late in the third quarter.
The site will serve western markets with plastic pipe up to 65 inches, according to Pipeline Plastics CEO Mike Leathers.
"This gives us the ability to reach up into Western Canada all the way down into California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona from here. As well as serve Idaho and Montana and Wyoming and the surrounding areas," Leathers told a local media outlet.
Founded in 2010, Pipeline Plastics opened its fourth factory in 2021 in Fair Bluff, N.C. That was preceded by plants in Belle Fourche, S.D.; and Levelland and Decatur, Texas, which all produce pipes with diameters from 1 inch to 65 inches.
The Rupert site will help meet increasing demand for reliable and environmentally friendly infrastructure materials in the water, energy and industrial sectors, according to a company news release.
The facility will house an energy-efficient operation with waste-reduction initiatives in place to minimize environmental impact, the release adds.
"This is more than a plant — it's a commitment to excellence and a testament to the impact we aim to make in the industry," Jordan Latham, vice president of production, says in the release. "We're excited to bring our state-of-the- art manufacturing capabilities to Rupert and deliver solutions built for the future."
The ground-breaking ceremony reportedly was a result of two years of negotiations.
Pipeline Plastics is part of SCF Partners family of companies,
With estimated sales of $200 million, Pipeline Plastics ranks 29th among North America's largest pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.