LP's new Bath facility, rail upgrades mark investment in Steuben County's future
LP Building Solutions celebrated the opening Tuesday of a new multimillion-dollar, 90,000-square-foot prefinished home siding manufacturing facility on a long vacant 75-acre plot off of state Route 54.
Jason Ringblom, LP executive vice president, expressed LP’s enthusiasm to join the Bath community and expand the company’s prefinished home siding offerings in the Northeast.
“I am honored to be a part of this historic day for both LP and the town of Bath,” said Ringblom. “We look forward to the mutual benefits this collaboration will undoubtedly bring.”
Ringblom said LP’s prefinished siding product has seen strong growth since its 2020 launch.
LP will receive its exterior home siding product at the new Bath facility via rail from its siding production mills. The material will then be painted, packaged and distributed via LP’s existing network throughout the Northeast and beyond.
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Bath rails to be upgraded near LP facility
Steuben County IDA Executive Director James C. Johnson said the Appalachian Regional Commission recently approved a $1.2 million grant to upgrade the rails in Bath near the new facility.
“The grant funds will upgrade the steel from what is an 80-pound steel to 110-pound steel, which will allow us to bring in more trains,” Johnson said. “The project, which will start next spring, will include a gated cross on state Route 415.”
Johnson thanked LP for its commitment to and investment in the community.
“We look forward to supporting the LP team beyond this celebration and working together to promote future growth of its business in Steuben County,” Johnson said.
Bath Town Supervisor Ronald Smith said he is pleased to see the transformation of the former IDA Business Park into the new LP facility and is excited to see the rail line in Bath being used once again.
How many Steuben County jobs created by LP expansion
New York State Senator Tom O’Mara and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano both call the arrival of LP Building Solution a great addition to the regional economy and fantastic news for workers and local taxpayers.
"This investment is the result of an outstanding team effort by local and state leaders and it's great to be able to welcome the new LP Building Solutions facility to the town of Bath and Steuben County,” Palmesano said.
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Ringblom said by expanding into the Northeast, LP can better serve the popular new home construction and repair and remodel markets in the region.
“Additionally, we are excited to welcome Steuben County and its highly skilled workforce to the LP family,” Ringblom said. “We look forward to the mutual benefits this collaboration will undoubtedly bring.”
As a result of the project, LP plans to create approximately 60 new jobs in the Southern Tier region over the next several years, Ringblom said. To date, there are 35 employees working on site.
The facility, which first broke ground in July 2022, will establish LP’s first New York-based facility.
“The Southern Tier region of New York is ideally suited for ExpertFinish production due to its proximity to the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada siding markets,” Ringblom said.
Founded in 1972, LP Building Solutions is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company manufactures engineered wood building products to suit the needs of builders, remodelers, and homeowners worldwide.
The company operates 23 manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, Chile and Brazil and employs approximately 4,300 people.
This article originally appeared on The Leader: LP expansion promises Steuben County jobs: What to know
