Walter Industries Announces Plan to Close U.S. Pipe's Chattanooga, Tenn. Plant

Walter Industries, Inc. announced that U.S. Pipe will close its Chattanooga, Tenn. plant. U.S. Pipe will transfer its valve and hydrant production to Mueller Water Products' (Mueller) Chattanooga and Albertville, Ala. plants by the end of this year. The eventual closure of the U.S. Pipe Chattanooga plant will occur sometime in 2006.

The move follows the Oct. 3 acquisition of Mueller by Walter Industries and supports the Company's goal of quickly capturing substantial benefits through the integration of Mueller and U.S. Pipe into a unified water products business.

The U.S. Pipe Chattanooga plant employs 345 people. Approximately 243 people are expected to be affected by the transfer of the valves and hydrant business to Mueller, although opportunities will be available at the Mueller Chattanooga plant or elsewhere in the U.S. Pipe system for some of those employees. The remaining 102 employees are expected to remain with the large fittings production until alternative production capability for this portion of the business has been finalized.

Source: Walter Industries, Inc.