Watts Water Technologies has opened the doors on a new 30,000-sq-ft foundry, which will offer lead-free products. The foundry is part of an expansion to the company’s Franklin, NH, facility.

“This is a great day for our company and its employees, our industry, and the Franklin community,” said Watts Water Technologies CEO and President David Coghlan, who noted that the new foundry will produce lead free versions of products already produced in Franklin, and additional products, as well. “It will enable us to be the ‘safe choice’ for lead free products, since we can eliminate the possibility of cross contamination of materials. It will also enable us to provide efficient and timely availability of products.”

Through the new foundry, the company says it is also supporting jobs in manufacturing.

“In locating our lead free foundry in Franklin, we are supporting New Hampshire and U.S. jobs,” said Coghlan. “We are also recognizing our Franklin team, which has continually demonstrated their commitment to manufacturing excellence and innovation. We look forward to continuing to invest in Franklin and expanding this facility.”

Watts Water’s Franklin, NH, facility, which opened in 1959, has undergone 16 expansions since that time and has more than tripled in square footage. From about 30 employees in 1959, the Franklin workforce has since grown to more than 500 employees today. The Franklin plant manufactures and distributes products that go to U.S. retailers, OEMs, and wholesale distributors, and it is currently the company’s largest manufacturing facility in North America.