SOUTH POINT, Ohio – Representatives from HarbisonWalker International, the largest supplier of refractory products and services in the U.S., joined with local business and government leaders at The Point Industrial Park on Thursday to break ground for construction of its new facility.
“Our new South Point plant exemplifies the future of our company and in many ways, the future of the U.S. refractories industry,” said Stephen Delo, chairman and CEO of HarbisonWalker International. “We’re leveraging our 150 years of leadership and expertise to reinvent how we produce and deliver quality monolithic products.”
With a history that spans more than 150 years, HWI has created many of the refractory industry’s most significant technologies, Delo added. He said monolithic refractories, which can be molded or shaped for a variety of requirements, pose one of the strongest product growth categories for both HWI and the industry.
“The new plant will have a positive impact on product consistency and quality, availability, ordering, packaging and support,” he said. “We are thrilled to officially launch this very important initiative.”
HWI announced in March that it would invest $30 million to build a technologically advanced monolithic plant in Lawrence County as the next step in its strategy to continuously improve performance and respond to customers’ needs. At that time, Bill Dingus, executive director of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corp., said about 40 people could be working at the plant.
“The new facility will be one of the most technologically advanced refractories plants built in the U.S. and will be operational by early 2018,” said Carol Jackson, a senior vice president and general manager at HWI.
Refractories are ceramic materials designed to withstand the very high temperatures encountered in modern manufacturing, according to The Refractories Institute. More heat-resistant than metals, they are used to line the hot surfaces found inside many industrial processes, the institute says.
HWI officials said the plant’s South Point location offers great opportunities for the company.
“Unlike any other location, The Point offers unique transportation, logistics and business amenities that combine to create an ideal and cost-effective match for the requirements of our new facility,” said Douglas Hall, another senior vice president with HWI. “The intermodal transportation features at The Point will ensure efficient delivery of raw materials from nearby suppliers and finished products to customers.”
Set on the section of the Ohio River that is the largest weight/volume inland port in the United States, The Point invested $4.5 million to build a port that offers a direct link to destinations around the world at the lowest possible price, officials said.
“We are delighted that HarbisonWalker International chose South Point for its new, state-of-the-art monolithic refractories manufacturing facility,” said John Molinaro, president and CEO of the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, the region’s JobsOhio partner. “The site’s excellent road, river and rail transportation assets were a major factor in the decision to make the investment here.”
At the event, HWI also introduced Kirk Donges of TSHD Architects as architect for the building and Mullins Construction as the builder. Lawrence Economic Development Corp. will provide building construction management services, officials said.
“This project just didn’t happen overnight,” Dingus said. “It took huge numbers of people hundreds of hours of work to get here. HWI could have located any place in the country, but they selected South Point, Ohio, and we are so thrilled and excited to have them as new members of our community.”
Hall said close proximity to suppliers, a supporting infrastructure, incentives and the potential for long-term partnerships in the area also led to the location selection.
“The site offers efficiencies that are simply not possible elsewhere,” he said.
Hall said the company expects initial capacity at the new monolithic plant to be approximately 80,000 metric tons per year.
The new factory will employ highly trained and highly skilled technicians and staff in a team-based environment, Hall added.
“HWI will begin posting job descriptions and requirements for plant leadership positions at South Point sometime before the summer ends,” he said. “Remaining positions are still being determined.”
In the meantime, the company directed interested individuals to its website at http://thinkhwi.com/south-point-plant/ for ongoing updates.
From The Herald Dispatch | June 9, 2017
