It is safe to say Welspun is big on Little Rock.
The global pipe manufacturer, headquartered in India, has offices around the world. Its focus of late, however, has been on Little Rock.
Welspun has operated a pipe and coating plant at the Port of Little Rock since 2007 and last year announced plans for a new $150 million facility at the port.
The new plant will produce Welspun’s longitudinally submerged arc-welded line pipes and apply coating. The news came on the heels of an October 2024 announcement that Welspun would invest $100 million to upgrade its existing high-frequency induction-welded pipe manufacturing facility, adding 175 jobs. Upgrades are expected to be complete within the first quarter of 2026.
The new facility, set to be up and running later this year, is expected to create 300 jobs.
Vipul Mathur, managing director and CEO at Welspun Corp., said the new plant will be one of the most unique facilities in the country.
“Under one roof, we will be covering just about every single diameter of pipe that is going to be used,” he said at the press conference announcing the investment. “It is a one-stop solution.”
Welspun has now made four significant investments totaling more than $400 million in Little Rock since opening at the port.
“In 2007, Welspun took a chance on the Port of Little Rock and located their manufacturing operation here in our community,” said Bryan Day, executive director at the Little Rock Port Authority. “Welspun quickly became one of the port’s flagship partners and has continued to expand their operations. Today, we are celebrating their fourth investment in our community. We are proud to have Welspun as our partner and we wish them the best of luck with this new endeavor.”
The new facility is expected to enhance Welspun’s capability to serve multiple diverse sectors, including carbon capture, LNG export, oil and gas, and hydrogen pipelines, company officials said.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the latest investment from Welspun is evidence that countries around the world are realizing that “Arkansas means business.”
“Whether their priority is low taxes, low cost of living, low cost of energy, ease of doing business, a quality workforce or easy access to global markets, companies like Welspun are choosing the Natural State time and again,” she said. “It’s an honor to join Welspun Tubular for their second major expansion announcement in less than a year, and I’m thankful to their team for continuing to invest in Arkansas. The Port of Little Rock is quickly becoming the center of economic development for our region, and today’s groundbreaking is only going to continue that.”
B.K. Goenka, chairman of Welspun World, said the company’s partnership with Little Rock and Arkansas has only gotten stronger over the years. He added that the expansion will position Welspun as the only facility in the United States capable of manufacturing line pipes ranging from 6 inches to 56 inches and meeting the complete specifications required for both the oil and gas and infrastructure sectors.
“We are proud to take a significant step forward with the expansion of our Little Rock facility to include a state-of-the-art LSAW line pipe mill and coating facility,” he said at the announcement. “This investment is not only creating new jobs — it is a commitment to the Made in America vision by strengthening domestic manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports. We are grateful to the state of Arkansas for its friendly policies. The leadership of Gov. Sanders has played a pivotal role in creating an environment where global companies like Welspun can invest with confidence and thrive. We look forward to continuing our journey here and contributing meaningfully to the region’s economic growth.”
Feature Photo: Welspun at the Port of Little Rock (Photo provided by Port of Little Rock)
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