Zekelman Industries, a Canadian company owned by the Zekelman family, announced that it will close its steel conduit manufacturing plant in Long Beach, California. The facility produces steel conduits under the brand names Western Tube and Wheatland Tube.

The main reason for the closure was a sharp increase in steel pipe imports from Mexico. According to statistics, the imports of steel pipe from Mexico were expected to surge by 480% from 11,960 tons in 2017 to an estimated 69,641 tons in 2022.

In the future, Zekelman Industries’ plant in Rochelle, Illinois, and other distribution centers located on the West Coast will provide service to customers.