HarbisonWalker International (HWI) recently announced that it is investing $30 million to construct a new state-of-the-art monolithic refractories manufacturing facility. The facility will be located along the Ohio River Valley in the northern Kentucky/southern Ohio region of the U.S.

According to the company, the new facility will be one of the most technologically advanced refractories plants to be built in the U.S. The plant is expected to be operational by early 2018; capacity is expected to be 80,000 metric tons per year. It will employ highly trained technicians and staff in a team-based environment. The plant will feature a high degree of automation and technology, and will utilize lean techniques throughout its operations to maximize material flow efficiency and production. In addition, the facility will introduce advanced packaging technologies that are new to the North American market.

The strategic location of the new facility is a critical feature that HWI expects will provide distribution and logistics advantages. Close proximity to accessible river, rail and highway transportation options will reportedly ensure efficient delivery of raw materials from nearby suppliers and finished products to customers.

“We are a U.S.-based company and have a strong U.S.-based manufacturing network,” said Douglas Hall, senior vice president of Integrated Supply Chain. “We have already made significant investments in individual plants, in locations such as South Shore, Ky., and White Cloud, Mich., as part of our plans to improve our manufacturing performance across the company. This new plant, with its state-of-the-art technological advancements, is the next step in our strategy to improve performance and better meet the needs of our customers.”

For more information, visit http://thinkhwi.com.