Watts Water Technologies “cut the ribbon” on a multimillion dollar,
30,000 square foot foundry on June 21st, an expansion to the
Franklin, NH Facility of one of its operating subsidiaries, which
produces products for many of its brands. New Hampshire state and local
dignitaries, including Governor Maggie Hassan and Franklin Mayor Kenneth
Merrifield, joined officials from Watts Water Technologies, Inc. to
celebrate the occasion.
Participants in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Lead Free foundry at the Watts Water Franklin Facility included, from left, Watts Water senior officers Tim O'Neil, Ken Lepage, Gov. Maggie Hassan, Watts Water Dean Freeman, retired Watts Water CEO Tim Horne, and current Watts Water CEO David Coghlan (Photo: Business Wire)
The new Lead Free foundry reflects the company’s commitment to
proactively meet the requirements of the “Reduction of Lead in Drinking
Water Act,” which goes into effect in January 2014. The law establishes
new limits on the lead content in every pipe, fixture, and fitting used
to convey water for human consumption. The company’s new foundry will
produce Lead Free products exclusively.
“This is a great day for our company and its employees, our industry,
and the Franklin community,” said Watts Water Technologies CEO and
President David Coghlan, who noted that the new foundry will produce
Lead Free versions of products already produced in Franklin, and
additional products, as well. “It will enable us to be the ‘safe choice’
for Lead Free products, since we can eliminate the possibility of cross
contamination of materials. It will also enable us to provide efficient
and timely availability of products.”
Through the new foundry, the company is also supporting jobs in
manufacturing. “In locating our Lead Free foundry in Franklin, we are
supporting New Hampshire and U.S. jobs,” said Coghlan. “We are also
recognizing our Franklin team, which has continually demonstrated their
commitment to manufacturing excellence and innovation. We look forward
to continuing to invest in Franklin and expanding this facility.”
New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan commended the company for the types
of products produced, which contribute to public health and safety, and
for the company’s educational efforts around the Lead Free initiative.
She also complimented the Franklin workforce, noting that the work
effort here is “extraordinary.” She added that the company is emblematic
of the ingenuity found across the Granite State. “We can make great
things here,” she said, “and share them across the world.”
Franklin Mayor Kenneth Merrifield noted how rare it is to have a
manufacturing facility that lasts 50 years, such as the Watts Water
Franklin Facility, and how quickly the new foundry came into being. He
referred to meeting the development challenge as a “remarkable
accomplishment” and added “congratulations to an absolutely fabulous
company.”
Watt Water’s Franklin, NH Facility, which opened in 1959, has undergone
16 expansions since that time and has more than tripled in square
footage. From about 30 employees in 1959, the Franklin workforce has
since grown to more than 500 employees today. The Franklin plant
manufactures and distributes products that go to U.S. retailers, OEMs,
and wholesale distributors, and it is currently the company’s largest
manufacturing facility in North America.
About Watts Water Technologies, Inc.:
Watts Water Technologies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a world
leader in the manufacture of innovative products to control the
efficiency, safety, and quality of water within residential, commercial,
and institutional applications. Its expertise in a wide variety of water
technologies enables it to be a comprehensive supplier to the water
industry. For more information, visit www.wattswater.com.
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