Southwire Carrollton Copper Rod Plant Drives Modernization
Southwire will start building a new Southwire Carrollton copper rod plant, a 100,000-sq-ft facility in Carrollton, Georgia. This project supports Southwire’s long-term modernization strategy and its goal to remain generationally sustainable for the next century.
Construction will begin in the first quarter. Southwire expects the new plant to start production by the end of 2022. After the new system ramps up, the company will retire its existing copper rod line on the same site.
SCR-9000S System Increases Capacity and Efficiency
The new facility will feature an SCR-9000S Copper Rod System. This advanced line can produce up to 60 mt/hr of copper rod, giving Southwire more capacity than any other SCR system currently in operation.
“Southwire is investing in a multimillion-dollar modernization initiative that will allow us to best serve our customers, increase our efficiency and introduce newer and better equipment, systems and technology,” said Rich Stinson, Southwire’s President and CEO. He added that the project also supports a safer, healthier work environment for employees, nearby communities, and the environment—now and in the future.
Because copper rod sits at the very start of the manufacturing process, Stinson emphasized that a modern SCR system is critical for the products that keep Southwire at the front of the industry.
Building on Four Decades of Copper Rod Expertise
Southwire began operating its current copper rod system in Carrollton in 1980. More than 40 years later, copper still serves as the primary metal for the company’s wire and cable operations.
The new plant will sit on the same property as the existing facility and will continue to use Southwire Continuous Rod (SCR®) technology. Southwire introduced SCR in the early 1960s, transforming copper rod production. Today, manufacturers worldwide still rely on this technology as a preferred system.
“To put the technology itself into perspective, fifty percent of all copper rod made in the world passes through one of our SCR systems at some point in its lifetime. That’s significant,” said Charlie Murrah, executive vice president of metals. He explained that the current plant is more than 40 years old, so now is the right time to install a new, state-of-the-art SCR system that improves both continuity and efficiency.
Murrah believes the upgraded system will help keep Southwire strong and sustainable for decades.
Advancing Carbon Zero and Growing Green Goals
Southwire will also use this project to advance its Growing Green and Carbon Zero commitments. The company aims to reach 100% carbon-free energy for its operations by 2025.
To support that target, Southwire is partnering with Carroll EMC so the new copper rod facility will run entirely on renewable electricity. “We’re excited about the future of our Carrollton copper rod manufacturing facility, and we are proud to partner with Carroll EMC as we pursue our Carbon Zero initiative,” Stinson said.
He noted that the project not only supports Southwire’s modernization plan, but also strengthens its promise to remain generationally sustainable. For more details on Southwire’s broader initiatives, visit southwire.com.
