March 2010 Vol. 65 No. 3
Features
Liner Products Expands Facilities, Capacities
Liner Products LLC, a leading manufacturer of cured-in-place pipe felt tubes, recently dedicated a 42,000-square-foot expansion of its production and shipping facilities at an open house in Paoli, IN.
Liner Products produces CIPP tubes for contractors throughout North America, as well as Asia, Australia and South America. Its largest customer is the Inliner Technologies licensee network, which includes Reynolds Inliner LLC (Orleans, IN), Kenny Construction Company (Chicago, IL), Lametti & Sons Inc. (Hugo, MN), and Western Slope Utilities Inc. (Breckenridge, CO).
At the event, guests were greeted with an overview of the expansion and tour of the facilities, followed by lunch. Guests included various local officials and representatives from the local and industry media, the building contractor, Eagle Nonwovens, Inc. (a key supplier) and the Inliner Technologies network.
With the expansion, Liner Products now has about 120,000 square feet of plant and office space. The addition was undertaken to increase overall production capacity, expand Liner Products’ large diameter tube capabilities and provide additional room for future manufacturing innovations. The new manufacturing area was designed particularly for large tube production, with a free span construction and ceiling clearances of 18 feet or greater.
The expansion includes a new custom automated manufacturing line which began production in November 2009. The new line can accommodate tube diameters up to 120 inches. Previously, Liner Products could manufacture tube diameters up to 90 inches, with tubes larger than 54 inches being constructed manually.
Automation
“We used to produce the largest tubes by hand,” noted Brent Buckalew, vice president of Liner Products. “With the new line, which is our fifth automated line, we have reduced our production time and improved our capacity and lead times.”
The unique design of the new manufacturing line dramatically improves material handling for large tubes. An overhead conveyor system allows for easy stacking during production and completed tubes may be loaded directly on a trailer.
Koetter Construction Inc. (Floyds Knobs, IN) was chosen as the building contractor because of their experience and existing relationship with Liner Products. Site preparation and construction of the building took about one year.
“The purpose of the open house is to dedicate facilities and thank local officials for their support in helping make this expansion happen,” said Geoff Yothers, director of Inliner Technologies. “Liner Products is now positioned in a great place for growth.”
During the plant tour, Denise McClanahan, director of engineering for Reynolds Inliner, commented on how fast the tube manufacturing business has advanced. “Look how far we’ve come as an industry,” she observed. “Tubes used to be built on wooden tables by hand and now most of the process is automated.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Inliner Technologies, (812) 723-0704, www.inliner.net
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