SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR

ELKHART, IND. — Rex Martin, chairman, president and chief executive officer of NIBCO Inc., announced at the end of May that the company had acquired the assets of Consolidated Plumbing Industries, a manufacturer of PEX tubing.

CPI's headquarters and distribution center are located in Knoxville, Tenn., with its manufacturing location based in Lebanon, Ohio. The product line is distributed throughout North America. CPI primarily serves the water distribution and radiant heating markets.

"I'm pleased to announce that we have officially closed the acquisition on May 15, beginning a new chapter in NIBCO's history," said Martin. "The PEX plumbing and heating industry is expected to grow significantly over the next several years. This acquisition positions NIBCO to emerge as one of the few dominant residential and commercial leaders in the PEX industry."

CPI manufactures DURA-PEX tubing for the wholesale, retail and OEM markets. CPI's other brands include Push 'N Go fittings, Basic Radiant, DURAPRO metal insert fittings, and the Grand Slam Manifold.

CPI was attractive, Martin told CONTRACTOR, because it is one of the few firms in the U.S. to electronically crosslink its PEX pipe on a full-time basis. CPI also has a patent-pending oxygen barrier technology, Martin said, and a new manifold that will come on the market in the next 60 days.

Paul Minbiole, president of CPI, noted, "The demand for CPI's PEX products is phenomenal; and under NIBCO ownership, CPI can continue to grow and meet the requirements of its customers in terms of quality and quantity."

CPI was owned by the irradiation company, Martin said, that is in a number of other businesses, such as irradiating food, in addition to cross-linking pipe. The owners decided it was time to sell the business to a company dedicated to the plumbing business, he said.

The acquisition of CPI's line of PEX products complements NIBCO's NEXT-Pure PEX and residential plumbing product lines. NIBCO introduced NEXT-Pure, a complete PEX potable water system, in March 2005.

Founded in Elkhart in 1904, NIBCO is a worldwide provider of flow control solutions to customers in the residential and commercial construction, industrial and irrigation markets.

NIBCO is also a partner with Victaulic Inc. in Nvent LLC, a manufacturer of PermaLynx push-to-connect copper pipe fittings.

With the acquisition of CPI, NIBCO now operates 13 manufacturing plants throughout the U.S., Mexico and Poland.