The Challenge
Vallourec is a French company that manufactures seamless steel pipes for the energy, construction, automotive, and mechanical industries. Its pipe is built to withstand extreme environments and is manufactured entirely from recycled scrap metal. Vallourec’s plant in Youngstown is the company’s main North American production facility and part of more than $1.5 billion that Vallourec has invested in Ohio over the past 15 years.
Youngstown is where Vallourec threads the premium VAM high-torque connections that join its pipe, and the plant needed more capacity to meet growing demand.
The Solution
Vallourec committed $39 million, with a final investment of up to $48 million, to build a new premium threading line in Youngstown. Once operational, the line would create 40 full-time jobs, expand the local supply chain, and support the regional energy industry.
Construction is underway and expected to wrap in early 2027, with no disruption to current operations.
Key Factors in Choosing Ohio Included:
Fifteen years and more than $1.5 billion of prior Vallourec investment in Ohio, with Youngstown as the company’s main North American production facility
Space and infrastructure to build the new line alongside existing operations, with no disruption to current production
A Youngstown workforce already employed at the plant, in a region with a long steel-making history
Ohio’s advantageous business environment and favorable tax laws
Strong state and local connections with JobsOhio, Lake to River Economic Development, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, and other community partners
The Results
Jobs Created: 40
Total Investment: At least $39 million, with a final investment of up to $48 million
Total Payroll: $2,329,600
Economic Impact: The new production line increases the workforce at a Youngstown site that already employs more than 800 people. The expansion is also expected to boost the local supply chain, extending the project’s reach beyond Vallourec itself to benefit Mahoning Valley businesses that support the plant.
Strategic Advantage: For Vallourec, Youngstown was the place to add capacity because so much of what the new line required was already there. The site was already the company’s main North American production facility, and this decision keeps the work close to the regional energy industry it’s meant to support.
This expansion reflects Vallourec’s long-term vision and continued investment in the U.S. market. By strengthening our industrial base in Youngstown, we are building on the region’s proud manufacturing legacy and supporting all energies with high-performance, locally produced solutions.
— Philippe Guillemot, Chairman and CEO, Vallourec
