(KAIR)--New details are released regarding the acquisition of what once was the operations of Northwest Pipe Company, located at the Shannon Industrial Park, in Atchison.

A news release is issued by the City of Atchison, saying the hiring of local employees is set to begin in the coming weeks, while operations at the facility are expected to be fully functional within the first quarter of 2018.

Known as Atchison Tubular Services, the news release states the Houston-based Tex-Tube, which has manufactured steel pipe for more than 70-years, coordinated the acquisition of the former Northwest Pipe facility with the participation of one of its affiliate companies serving as the buyer.

The plant, once reopened, will function much as it previously did, with manufacturing to be conducted in Atchison and sales conducted at the company's Houston headquarters.

In coordination with Tex-Tube, the City and County of Atchison will jointly fund a project to extend what the news release calls “quality broadband internet service” to the Shannon Industrial Park.

Atchison Mayor Allen Reavis, in the news release, calls the project “a great opportunity for the City and County to work together to further economic development in Atchison County.”

Northwest Pipe Company closed its local operations nearly two years ago.

Editor's note: below is the full press release as issued by the City of Atchison January 18, 2018:

Atchison, KS – Nearly two years after Northwest Pipe Company disclosed plans to idle operations at its Atchison facility, a leading manufacturer of steel products announces the restart of the plant’s operations. Tex-Tube, a Houston based company that has manufactured steel pipe for customers around the world for more than 70 years, coordinated the acquisition of the facilities with the participation of Almacenadora Afirme as buyer, and at the same time Almacenadora Afirme will operate the newly acquired plant through a transforming company, named Atchison Tubular Services.

On December 22nd, 2017, Almacenadora Afirme, a Tex-Tube affiliate company, acquired the Atchison plant with the intention of supporting the expansion of Tex-Tube’s pipe manufacturing operations into Atchison. Based on an agreement between Almacenadora Afirme and Tex-Tube, the plant will function in much of the same manner as it previously did, with sales activities taking place at the company’s headquarters in Houston, and manufacturing occurring at the Atchison facility. For that purpose, the manufacturer Atchison Tubular Services plans to start hiring local employees in the coming weeks and expects to be fully operational within the first quarter of 2018.

Isidro Cantu, General Manager of Tex-Tube, responsible for bringing the Atchison plant back into full operation, commented on his eagerness to resume tube production at Atchison in the next few weeks, to begin reaping the envisioned benefits for all stakeholders: employees, the community, and the company. “We are certain that people in Atchison share our excitement to see that plant running again. We have learned that many of its former employees are ready to rejoin the company, which reaffirms our confidence in the highly skilled workers of Atchison”, Mr. Cantu added.  

In coordination with Tex-Tube, the City of Atchison and Atchison County will jointly fund a project to extend quality broadband internet service to the Shannon Industrial Park. This project will bring much needed IT infrastructure to the property, as well as all current and future industrial park businesses. Mayor Allen Reavis said, “This project is a great opportunity for the City and County to work together to further economic development in Atchison County”. He added, “we look forward to more successful partnerships in the future”.

Atchison officials are excited to welcome Almacenadora Afirme and Tex-Tube as important community partners and look forward to the positive impact this investment will have on the Atchison community.  The closure of the pipe production facility was a difficult economic setback for Atchison, and Almacenadora Afirme and Tex-Tube’s efforts to bring those jobs back to the community will give a much needed, appreciated, and noticeable boost to the local economy.