11 May 2023
MAIZE, Kan. (KSNW) — Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is expanding to Maize, opening an $80 million dollar facility in 2025.
“It’ll give obviously jobs, it’ll bring revenue in for the community for improvements on all kinds of infrastructure and things of that nature,” The City of Maize Administrator, Richard LaMunyon, said. “It also gives opportunities for people who want to come to our area other opportunities to raise a family for a safe community, for a friendly environment that can provide for a family, and that’s what we’re all about.”
LaMunyon says it will be a part of their industrial park.
“We constantly get inquiries because of what we’ve done in the past, we planned for this industrial park, and that’s why it started because we had a plan in place,” LaMunyon said.
“We have several other plants that fit right in, provide hundreds of jobs for our area, not only here in Maize, but the greater Wichita area and surrounding counties,” LaMunyon said.
The company has been working with City and County leaders for the last two years to expand the facility.
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Maize expansion rendering (KSN Photo)
“We’ve worked with our local partners, the county specifically, and really stepped forward to help us with a local match,” LaMunyon said. “Specifically on the railroad to assist with getting additional spurs and turnarounds there.”
Maize is one of the 11 cities across multiple states considered.
The industrial park in Maize opened over 10 years ago with the plan to expand, and they have plans for the next 10 years of the park.
“The Industrial park opened about 12 years ago, and it’s completely full,” LaMunyon said. “However, we are now in the process of doubling the size of it and to get another 10 manufacturing plants we hope in the future.”
LaMunyon says over 2,000 housing units will be under construction in the next few years.
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry will be the first facility North of the railroad tracks, but they plan to expand more.
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Maize expansion (KSN Photo)
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Maize expansion (KSN Photo)
“We only grow when demand requires,” LaMunyon said. “So we will go to the West 235th and then all the way north to 96 highway.”
LaMunyon says the family-owned facility will be a good fit for Maize.
“It’s been in business since 1901, they’re family-owned, they treat their employees extremely well,” LaMunyon said.
The City will be putting additional sewer and water supplies in that area.
“We enhanced our water already up there to cut down on the cost for manufacturing plants that come in that require additional fire protection,” LaMunyon said.
He says from a business standpoint, they have a perfect location.
“It has railroad connections, it is close to the airport, Maize has a lot of things going for us,” LaMunyon said. “We also had just wonderful cooperation from the County, as I indicated, and from the state and from our partners around Highway 96.”
A spokesperson for the company, Brad Muller, says Maize is an ideal location.
“It was a great piece of property with ready access to rail and very good working relationship with the railroad there,” Muller said. “We always look for cheap and reliable energy, electricity, and of course, Kansas offers that.”
Muller says they needed to be closer to their Midwestern customers.
“Maize is a terrific location, fast-growing town, well-educated workforce,” Muller said.
The facility will bring 50 new jobs to the area.
“We’ve always paid very competitive wages, very good benefits,” Muller said. “We have not had a layoff in our plastics division since 1982. So we take care of our people.”
The starting pay hasn’t been determined yet, but the average hourly wage across their locations is $34.80 an hour plus benefits.
“We just hope our company’s culture and our history speak for itself and that people will want to come work for us,” Muller said. “We pay very competitive wages with good benefits and a lot of job security.”