By Michael Lauzon
Royal Building Products will invest $24 million to expand PVC pipe production in Newbern, Tenn.
Royal and Tennessee officials announced the project May 22. Royal recently converted the Newbern operation to PVC pipe from vinyl siding production. The boost in pipe production will create 85 new jobs in Dyer County.
“The Newbern location provided our PVC pipe business with an opportunity to establish a manufacturing presence near growth markets in the southern United States and take advantage of western Tennessee’s strength as a transportation and distribution center,” noted Paul Czachor, Royal’s vice president and general manager of pipe and fittings, in a news release.
Czachor said Newbern employees have experience with building products and vinyl extrusion which will help smooth the way for transition to extruding PVC pipe.
Royal’s other PVC pipe plants are in Woodbridge, Ontario, where it is headquartered, and in Abbottsford, British Columbia. The Abbotsford location’s involvement with pipe dates back to 1913, when it began making clay pipe.
Royal did not disclose where it relocated vinyl profile production from Newbern. In 2011 it expanded its profile product offerings and production capacity by acquiring the Columbus, Ohio, siding business of Crane Group.
Tennessee Economic and Community Development, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the city of Newbern and Dyer County are assisting Royal’s pipe project. Royal is a division of Axiall Corp. of Atlanta.