“This expansion affirms our brand ideals of connecting, building, and inspiring,” said Uponor North America President Bill Gray. “We’re not just trying to turn a profit here; we have a longer-term sustainability commitment to our company and the community.”

Gray thanked local businesses and community leaders for their support and partnership with Uponor, including Dakota County Technical College, the Apple Valley Chamber, Opportunity Partners, PCL Construction, Cal-Tex Electric, Legend Mechanical, and Power Engineers.

United States Senator Klobuchar referenced Uponor’s recent industry recognitions as a Top 100 Workplace by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the 2013 Manufacturer of the Year by the Manufacturers Alliance, saying manufacturing is coming back.

“Supporting a strong manufacturing sector is critical to the future health of our economy,” said Klobuchar. “This is about bringing our country back to those brass tacks of innovation and progress, and Uponor is already leading the way.”

The expansion, which included 17,500 sq ft of manufacturing space and 3,000 sq ft for an employee services area, in part helped the company increase its workforce in the past year by 25%, growing from 400 to more than 500 employees in North America.

“Uponor builds careers,” said Hamann-Roland, who presented Gray with the Apple Valley Mayoral Proclamation Award. “Uponor connects with Apple Valley and truly inspires excellence.”