UPONOR UNVEILES NEW EXPERIENCE SHOWCASE CENTER IN APPLE VALLEY

The Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce and City Officials were fortunate to be included in the unveiling of UPONOR’S well designed “EXPERIENCE CENTER” which is hands on and really demonstrates and even creates real training for contractors from around the United States. The ceremony was led by Uponor North America President Andres Caballero who was so proud of this immersive experience.  Tours are also available for students and trade groups.  This is our Chamber’s 11TH RIBBON (PEX PIPE) CUTTING for expansions (not including ribbon cutting their Hutchinson plant which the Chamber and City of Apple Valley also participated in.)  It was followed by a full reception and tour demonstration.

From the moment you walk in the new Experience Center, a floor to ceiling (the mirrored ceiling entrance doubles the visual effects), makes you realize just how innovative Uponor is in creating water solutions in the 4,500 sq.ft. “Experience” area.  It clearly shows through glass floors and open walls and ceilings just how water in-wall/in floor PEX pipe easily and reliably replaces expensive and the less reliable copper in both commercial buildings and residential from your kitchen, garage or bath.  In most homes using Uponor, it PEX replaces the need for a furnace for heat, hot water heaters or air conditioning.  (Radisson BLU at MOA has several miles of their PEX doing just that).

As you move through the new facility, you realize how Uponor’s innovation literally changes the world of both water movement, applications and “smart water” solutions.  Apple Valley with their headquarter’s leadership and administration, R &D engineers, HR and manufacturing throughout several buildings along with Uponor’s warehouses in Lakeville and huge manufacturing plant in Hutchinson MN makes them a true mover (no pun intended).  They really specialize in creating PEX for the movement of water plumbing, fire safety, radiant heating/cooling, hydronic piping and pre-insulated piping solutions.

UPONOR has a history longer than all the pipe they have ever manufactured.  They began in Sweden in 1620 (when the Mayflower sailed) as WIRSBO and created armaments of forges steel for the king. Uponor is now based in nearby Finland and just a few months ago we participated in hosting the Finland Ambassador here in Apple Valley.   Though they have had a large presence in Toronto, they put their North American Headquarters right here in Apple Valley in 1990 as Wirsbo who were the very  1st manufacturer of PEX pipe in 1972 in Sweden and still today is the world market leader.  Just 2 years before that, Uponor had purchased Wirsbo.  The combined company was renamed as a united name of Uponor in 2006.  Since then, they have many times won Minnesota Manufacturer of the Year, was named Apple Valley Business of the Year, Best Places to Work via Star Tribune and other publications and most recently this year Uponor won its 7th Minnesota Governor’s Safety Award since 2014, an amazing achievement.