Uponor North America is expanding two Minnesota facilities, adding on to its Lakesville distribution site and its plant in Hutchinson.
The pipe extruder is spending $5 million to renovate the Hutchinson site and create 25,000 square feet of additional manufacturing space, and another $5 million to extend the Lakesville building by 57,000 square feet. The company said construction will begin in August at both sites and the projects are expected to be finished in May and June, respectively — bringing Uponor's total building space in North America to more than 1 million square feet.
The growth is being spurred by increased demand for Uponor's cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipe in the North American residential building market.
"As we enter the post-pandemic business climate, Uponor is positioning itself to increase capacity and productivity to effectively meet customer demand for our product," Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America, said in a July 13 news release.
Apple Valley, Minn.-based Uponor North America ranked No. 13 in Plastics News' latest survey of pipe, profile and tubing extruders, with relevant 2020 sales estimated at $397 million. It employs about 925. Its parent company, Uponor Oyj of Vantaa, Finland, has global sales of almost $1.3 billion and more than 3,800 employees worldwide.