Koppers Utility and Industrial Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Koppers Holdings, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its $17 million utility pole peeling and drying facility in Leesville, La.
The facility is located on a 105-acre site and will be used to manufacture utility poles, which will then be treated at the company’s Somerville, Texas, facility and supplied to markets in Texas and the Midwest.
“The Leesville facility is a key example of how Koppers continues to optimize our operational footprint,” James Sullivan, Koppers president and COO, said. “It has allowed us to reduce costs through plant automation and an improved logistics network, while opening new opportunities in high-potential growth markets as the demand for infrastructure investment in the U.S. only continues to increase.”
“Leesville’s abundance of timber, along with its proximity to our Somerville facility, positions us well to strengthen our supply chain and expand our market presence,” Jim Healey, Koppers UIP vice president, said.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in conjunction with the Leesville Parish Chamber of Commerce.
Koppers is a treated wood products, wood preservation technologies and carbon compounds provider. The company manufactures aluminum and construction materials, outdoor wooden structures, production feedstocks for steel, railroad crossties, utility poles, and other products.