Ductile-iron pipe manufacturer Victaulic plans a $100-million expansion of its Lawrenceville, PA, foundry facility to increase production capacity and serve growing demand for its branded products, which includes mechanical pipe and flow-control devices used in construction and infrastructure projects.
Victaulic has not detailed the schedule for the expansion project, the scope of the products to be produced, nor the foundry’s anticipated new capacity. The expansion will lead to 214 new jobs at the plant, which is one of seven foundries that Victaulic operates worldwide.
"This expansion underscores our unwavering commitment to creating family-sustaining jobs that positively impact our community,” stated Victaulic president and CEO Rick Bucher. “The expansion will also bolster our manufacturing infrastructure, ensuring Victaulic remains the industry leader in producing high-quality, innovative solutions for the construction industry and our North American customers.”
Victaulic acquired the shuttered foundry in early 2021 and refitted the former auto-parts foundry for casting pipe and valve products. It restarted the plant in May of that year.
The group operates two other foundries in Pennsylvania and acquired a fourth U.S. foundry in Utah last year. Victaulic also has iron foundries in Chihuahua, Mexico; Dalian, China; and Drezdenko, Poland.
The 150,000-sq.ft addition at Lawrenceville will accommodate new coremaking and molding lines, melting operations, automated finishing for cast parts and painting equipment, along with a CNC machine shop.
According to Bucher, “the capital investment demonstrates our commitment to sustainable growth by incorporating production efficiency using the cleanest modern melting technology available. Victaulic takes pride in the fact that our solutions are manufactured using 100% recycled steel and are infinitely reconfigurable.”
The investment is being supported by $1.5 million in grants from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community & Economic Development. That includes a $1.07 million Pennsylvania First Program grant and up to a $428,000 Workforce and Development Network grant to train workers.