Fort Worth, Texas-based WL Plastics Corp. is starting construction on an polyethylene pipe extrusion plant in Fort Edward, N.Y., that is expected to open in mid-2020 and create 50 new jobs.
David Fink, senior vice president of WL Plastics, said the location was chosen to meet the region's needs for "the fastest-growing pipe product" for sewer and water lines and natural gas distribution pipes.
High density PE's long-term performance and easy installation "without costly trenching and related street, curb, and tree damage" are making it an attractive option to upgrade infrastructure, according to WL Plastics officials.
In addition, HDPE pipe can withstand extreme temperatures and seismic activity, and it is low maintenance for municipal water systems, resists corrosion for wastewater applications, and is leak-free and flexible for conveying natural gas.
WL Plastics produces pipe from a 1/2 inch to 54 inches in diameter. The new manufacturing plant will go up at a former General Electric Co. dewatering site in Fort Edward.
Economic development agencies worked hard to seal the deal, state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, told the local media.
"We wanted to let them know about the workforce and the quality of life here," she said of the competitive process to lure the manufacturer, which was considering other sites. "There was a lot of nail-biting and fingers crossed," Woerner said.
Local officials now will look at tax incentives for the project available through the Warren and Washington Counties Industrial Development Agency and Civic Development Corp.
The New York plant will be the company's ninth U.S. facility, according to the WL Plastics news release. The company's website lists seven U.S. locations in Bowie and Snyder, Texas; Rapid City, S.D.; Cedar City, Utah; Elizabethtown, Ky.; Statesboro, Ga.; and Mills, Wyo. The seven sites have 500 million pounds of annual production capacity, according to the website.
With an estimated $420 million in annual sales, WL Plastics is the 12th largest pipe, profile and tubing extruder in North America, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.
In addition to water, sewer and natural gas applications, WL's pipe is used for mining, oil and gas gathering, and power and communications.
WL Plastics is a subsidiary of Carson, Calif.-based Ineos Olefins & Polymers USA.
