Pipe manufacturing plant planned for Richmond

A subsidiary of Michigan-based Viking Group Inc. is planning to build a new pipe manufacturing plant in Richmond. MV Pipe LLC will construct the facility on a 40-acre site, and the project is expected to create 111 jobs.

Viking Group, which makes and distributes a variety of fire protection products, said in a news release Friday the facility will be used to manufacture its proprietary Fendium pipe for the U.S. market.

The company’s investment in the facility was not immediately disclosed.

CEO James Golinveaux called Fendium a “game-changing product” for the fire protection industry due to its corrosion-resistant properties. It is designed to create added longevity and effectiveness to fire suppression systems, the company said.

Fendium pipe is already available in Europe.

The company said the new facility will include state-of-the-art technology and is being designed “to meet the highest environmental standards.”

“Viking is an established and respected company that will bring over 100 new jobs to Richmond, manufacturing advanced safety pipe systems,” Richmond Mayor Dave Snow said in written remarks. “This is another great example of a leading manufacturer putting their vote of confidence in Richmond.”

Viking Group said construction on the facility will begin this year and is slated for completion in 2024.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has offered MV Pipe up to $1.5 million in conditional tax credits and up to $67,500 in training grants. The company will not be eligible to claim the incentives until Hoosier workers are hired for the new jobs.

Local incentives for the project are expected to be considered at a later date.

Viking Group has dozens of fabrication and distribution locations across six continents. The Richmond facility would be the company’s first in Indiana, located near operations in the Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, and Columbus, Ohio areas.