Plumbing system manufacturer Uponor has planned another $17.4 million expansion at its Apple Valley campus, following a sizable addition it completed last year.
A 58,000-square-foot annex will be added to the sprawling 405,000-square-foot footprint that serves as the company's North American headquarters. Construction on the facility, located near the intersection of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and County Road 42, will start later this month and should be done by January, the company said.
"These are exciting times at Uponor and the building industry as we continue to experience significant growth in both commercial and residential construction," said Bill Gray, Uponor North America's president, in a statement.
The expansion is needed for Uponor to keep up with predicted business growth in cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing — which is used in plumbing, fire sprinklers, radiant heating and cooling — as well as hydronic piping systems.
Uponor plans to significantly increase its staff of about 700 to accommodate the new business growth. Last year, the company created more than 100 jobs locally.
It is the 10th time Uponor has expanded its operations in Apple Valley since 1990 when the Finland-based company opened the suburban Dakota County site. Last year, the company spent $18 million to add 88,000 square feet to the facility.
Next month, Uponor also plans to move some staff into office and lab space in a building next to the manufacturing facility.
Besides its Apple Valley facility, Uponor also has a distribution center in Lakeville.
