In July Pigs Unlimited started construction on a new 5,575 m2 facility in Tomball, Texas, to keep up with demand for its products, which are being used on projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Pigs Unlimited has started construction on a new purpose built facility, which features state-of-the-art chemical processing technology that will improve the quality of its products, and help the company reach its goal of being one of the leading pig producers in the world.
Construction of the new facility – which is 8 km from the company’s existing headquarters – is expected to be competed in March next year. New pig production equipment will double the company’s current capacity, while new metering and mixing equipment for urethane and foam processing will lead to a more-efficient and higher quality products. The new facility features a 3,700m2 mezzanine and is situated on a 17 acre block, providing room for the possibility of future expansion.
President Allen Pennington says the move was necessary to account for the company’s recent growth, adding that the company had simply outgrown its current location. He says the contract to supply pigs to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) alone had stretched the company’s resources.
“The move will allow us to make pigs more efficiently, faster, and to a higher quality. It will increase storage room for stocking levels, or simply to hold very large orders.
“Pigs Unlimited has been fortunate enough to supply some the major pipelines that are being installed now, including the DAPL, which by itself has consumed thousands of 30 inch pigs this year alone. Having space to prepare and hold orders is important,” Mr Pennington explains.
Mr Pennington says one of the determining factors for the move was to improve working conditions for employees. However the design of the new facility wasn’t without challenges.
“Architecturally, the building had to be designed around the location of the production equipment and the free-flow of the product, from the raw material to the finished product. This required the planning of each machine location, its power requirement, and the next step in the process flow.
“We have dealt with the typical challenges that come with building a new facility from the ground up, including permitting, co-ordinating design with the general contractor, meeting deadlines and moving deadlines due to weather and other variables.”
For more information visit Pigs Unlimited website.
This article was featured in the December 2016 edition of Pipelines International. To view the original article, click here.
May 1, 2017
