Work Begins on New ADS Manufacturing Plant

Construction has begun on the long-planned Advanced Drainage System manufacturing plant in Lake Wales. Work preparing the nearly 100-acre site east of South 11th Street is currently employing more than a dozen earth-moving machines, as well as surveyors and other crew. Meanwhile, Duke Energy workers are installing upgraded electrical service along Hunt Brothers Road to the site.

Courtesy ADS

An artist's conception of the finished ADS facility shows offices and the manufacturing plant, which will be sited near the existing Florida Midlands Railroad line. A new spur will be built onto the site to allow the delivery of the materials used in creating the light-weight corrugated drainage pipes.

The manufacturing building and associated offices could eventually cover 400,000 square feet and have a significant impact on the area's economy, employing up to 200 workers on the 97-acre site when fully developed. Construction is planned to be completed in two or more phases.

The company projects an average salary across all positions of $55,000 to $60,000 per year plus overtime, incentive income, and benefits.

"This advanced manufacturing facility is an important investment in a key region for ADS," said Scott Barbour, ADS President and Chief Executive Officer.

The plant will manufacture thin-walled, corrugated plastic pipe commonly used in drainage projects. ADS uses a mixture of plastics to create their finished projects, with about 60 percent of the material being recycled from other uses, according to company officials.

Accommodating the facility required an adjustment of zoning status to allow for 50 acres of outdoor storage of finished products. The plant will utilize a rail spur connecting to the existing Florida Midland Railroad line to receive raw materials before shipping the light-weight finished pipes to end users by truck.

Robert Connors

More than a dozen heavy earth-moving machines and a large crew of workers began site preparation this week at the 97-acre parcel which will contain the new ADS pipe manufacturing plant and a 60-acre storage yard.

The plant will complement ADS' current, smaller manufacturing facilities in Winter Garden and Sebring. Both of those facilities will remain in operation, "servicing customer demand for stormwater products required for projects throughout Florida and the Southeastern United States," according to a press release from ADS.

"We have experienced significant growth in Florida and the Southeast in recent years, and this facility will help us meet our commitments in the region while giving us the flexibility to expand further as we continue to grow," Barbour said in announcing the plant.