Northwest Pipe completes plant expansion

May 1, 2021

Interior of the new coating building at the Northwest Pipe Co. features a 40-ton dual hoist crane. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — The Northwest Pipe Co. has completed a multi-million-dollar addition to its manufacturing plant at Washington, W.Va., adding increased capacity for major water infrastructure projects and improved workflow.

The expansion also is creating new employment opportunities at the engineered steel pipe production facility, the company said.

Northwest Pipe added 26,500 square feet to its production area with the newly constructed fabricated fitting blast and coating building. The new facilities more than double the plant's capacity for hand-blasting fittings.

"Previously, fabrication and coating custom fittings were the bottleneck at our facility," Operations Manager Jeff Gardner said. "Now, we have the increased ability to take on larger projects while staying on schedule. Our new state of the art booths have automated man-lifts installed along each wall, which is a safety and productivity improvement. This new dedicated space and controlled environment means our team can continue to work simultaneously while coating straight pipe lengths."

The plant is producing pipe for two major water supply projects in the Southeast.

The exterior of the new 26,500 square foot coating building at the Northwest Pipe Co. (Photo Provided)

The Kings Bluff Project in North Carolina consists of 14 miles of 54-inch diameter engineered steel pipe for a new raw water main traversing three counties served by the Kings Bluff Raw Water Facilities. Installation of the new pipeline is underway and scheduled for completion this fall.

The Yadkin Water Supply Project in Union County, N.C., consists of 28 miles of 42-inch and 54-inch diameter engineered steel pipe for a new raw water pipeline to transmit water from Lake Tillery to a new water treatment plant in Union County. Installation of the pipeline is underway and scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022.

With a steady schedule of large-scale production projects across the Eastern United States, the newly expanded Northwest Pipe Parkersburg plant is looking to increase the size of its workforce. The facility is hiring multiple positions to support operations with opportunities for career growth.

For more information about water transmission projects and careers at Northwest Pipe Company, visit www.nwpipe.com

Founded in 1966, Northwest Pipe is a leading manufacturer for water related infrastructure products. In addition to being the largest manufacturer of engineered steel water pipeline systems in North America, the company produces high-quality precast and reinforced concrete products, Permalok steel casing pipe, bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipe, linings, coatings, joints and one of the largest offerings of fittings and specialized components.

The first truckload of 42-inch diameter spiralweld steel pipe leaves the Northwest Pipe Co. plant for the Yadkin Regional Supply Project in North Carolina. (Photo Provided)

The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Wash., and has manufacturing facilities across North America.

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