Uponor to streamline operations

Nov. 1, 2004
APPLE VALLEY, MINN. Uponor North America will close RTI Piping Systems in the United States and Plasco PEX-b Manufacturing in Canada, the company announced Oct. 27. Additionally, the Uponor Manufactured Structures and Uponor Ecoflex businesses will be consolidated into Uponor Wirsbo and Uponor Canada. "The objective of this business initiative, which we plan to finalize in early 2005, is to focus

APPLE VALLEY, MINN. Uponor North America will close RTI Piping Systems in the United States and Plasco PEX-b Manufacturing in Canada, the company announced Oct. 27. Additionally, the Uponor Manufactured Structures and Uponor Ecoflex businesses will be consolidated into Uponor Wirsbo and Uponor Canada.

"The objective of this business initiative, which we plan to finalize in early 2005, is to focus on our leading brand, Wirsbo, and core technology, which is PEX-a tubing," said Jim Bjork, executive vice president of Uponor North America.

The RTI and Plasco facilities located in Bellport, N.Y., and Langley, British Columbia, will close first quarter 2005. The Manufactured Structures office in Elkhart, Ind., will relocate to the Uponor Wirsbo headquarters in Apple Valley in early 2005. Uponor is working with employees during this transition by offering outplacement services and severance packages.

"Our actions are part of our global initiative to transform Uponor from a collection of independent brands and companies to a more unified organization," Bjork said.

Discontinuing certain brands and closing selected facilities allows Uponor North America to streamline its organization and improve the overall operational effectiveness in response to a constantly changing marketplace, he added.

"By making our organization stronger, more competitive and more profitable, we will be in an even better position to serve our customers," Bjork said.

The closing of Plasco and RTI will not affect current customers of Uponor Wirsbo systems. To ensure continuity of customer service, the Uponor sales teams will support RTI and Plasco installations under way in North America, and Uponor will honor existing RTI and Plasco warranties.

Uponor North America is a U.S. subsidiary of Uponor Corp., listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange and headquartered in Vantaa, Finland. Plasco, RTI and Manufactured Structures are North American operating units of Uponor.

Uponor Wirsbo and Uponor Canada are manufacturers and providers of radiant floor heating and plastic plumbing systems featuring PEX-a tubing. Visit www.wirsbo.com or www.wirsbo.ca for more information.

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