Pipe Manufacturer Opens First U.S. Factory in Saratoga Springs, Hires Former Quad Graphics Workers
The interior of Soleno’s first U.S. factory located at the W.J. Grande Industrial Park in Saratoga Springs. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Soleno, a water sustainability company based in Quebec, officially opened its first U.S. factory in Saratoga Springs last Thursday. The facility manufactures and distributes high-density polyethylene pipes for the American water management market.
Soleno said it’s investing more than $22 million into the 45,000-square-foot plant, which began operations in August and has already shipped its first orders to Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
“Saratoga Springs was selected as the ideal location for the facility due to easy access to multiple major markets throughout the Northeast,” said Heidi Pasos, a deputy director at Empire State Development, during the plant’s opening ceremonies.
The plant is located in the W.J. Grande Industrial Park, near the former Quad Graphics facility that closed in May. The closure resulted in hundreds of lost jobs, but Soleno said that “nearly 30” of its 35 employees were former Quad workers.
Mathieu Cornellier, general manager of the Soleno plant, said that the ex-Quad Graphics employees “had great integrity, teamwork, leadership, collaboration, and honestly today we’re producing good quality pipes because of them.”
Soleno’s KUSTOMFLO pipes can be made from recycled plastics, which help reduce plastic pollution in landfills. The pipes are considered environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional concrete pipes.
Developed using German Krah technology, the pipes offer some of the largest diameters on the market, the company said. The pipes are also billed as highly customizable and durable, lasting for more than a century.
Soleno said it hopes to add an additional 25,000 square feet of workspace to its Saratoga facility. Plans for the expansion are currently under review.