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Charlotte Pipe to Build New Iron Foundry

May 19, 2020
A $325-million project over the next two years will provide the DWV pipe manufacturer with a "more efficient layout of our plant and equipment and … flexibility to expand to meet future needs."

Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, which has operated in Charlotte, NC, since 1901, plans to build a new foundry at a 428-acre site in Oakboro, NC, about 30 miles east of the current plant.

Charlotte Pipe produces cast iron service pipe, extra-heavy pipe, and hubless pipe and fittings for drain, waste, and vent (DWV) applications. It also produces a line of "double hub" pipe. And, the group produces DWV pipes products in PVC, ABS, and CPVC thermoplastics at plants in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah.

The Charlotte foundry is described as "one of the largest and most modern facilities of its kind in the nation," but reportedly a search for a new location has been in progress for two years.

The new plant will comprise an investment of at least $325 million, according to local reports. Design and engineering efforts are underway, and contracts and permitting are being finalized.

Development of the new site would begin this year, and the new plant would be in operation as soon as Q3 2023.

“Charlotte Pipe has always been committed to investments that will benefit our associates, our customers, and our shareholders,” stated CEO Roddey Dowd, Jr. “While our current location is providing all stakeholders with a solid platform to deliver outstanding results, a new foundry will allow a more efficient layout of our plant and equipment and give us the flexibility to expand to meet future needs. Our current site simply does not afford the opportunities for growth that we envision for Charlotte Pipe.”