Uponor North America held a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 16 to celebrate the official opening of the company’s ninth expansion to its Apple Valley, Minn., facility and the 11th in the greater Twin Cities area.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, along with several political and community leaders, was in attendance for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gov, Dayton spoke of the importance of new job growth in Minnesota and of attracting talent in light of a national and local employment shortage.

“It’s a great moment for all of you on the Uponor team,” he said. “Thank you very much for your commitment to Minnesota. This is what makes Minnesota successful - entrepreneurs and those of you executives who have a commitment to our state, to locate and expand here.”

The $18 million expansion adds an additional 90,000 square feet for manufacturing, office space and additional manufacturing equipment for producing PEX.

With this expansion, the North American headquarters in Apple Valley, along with the company’s distribution center and resin-processing center in nearby Lakeville, Minn., brings the total Twin Cities metro area footprint to 656,738 square feet on approximately 50 acres. The new facility will provide 82 new jobs to the local economy.

“While this is our latest expansion, it is certainly not our last,” said Bill Gray, president, Uponor North America. “We are grateful to the State of Minnesota and the leaders of this local community for their support as we continue to grow.”

Additional speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were:

• Bill Gray, president, Uponor North America
• Jyri Luomakoski, president and CEO, Uponor Corp.
• Richard Davis, chairman, president and CEO, U.S. Bancorp and Greater MSP chair
• Michael Langley, Greater MSP CEO
• Ed Kearney, Apple Valley Chamber president
• Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland