Congressman Christopher Carney visited Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. in Muncy to see how the government can save tax dollars for bureaus of transportation.

MUNCY – Pennsylvania Congressman, Christopher Carney (D) was invited to pay a ‘friendly visit’ to Advanced Drainage Systems last week at their Muncy location. The company is a long standing one in the area and proudly announced its employee invested ownership to the state Congressman. Jim Goddard, chief engineer explained how unique the company is to the economy right now due to its recycling methods and well made product designed to assist many departments of transportation both nationally and globally.

Since Congressman Carney serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, plant manager, Jeff McPeek and Goddard wanted Carney to see for himself how the company is known world wide for its high density corrugated polyethylene piping that is used in storm water drainage systems for highways, roads, buildings and farms. The material is guaranteed to last over 100 years according to Goddard who is headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio. This in turn will provide better performance and save the government additional costs and federal tax dollars for unnecessary repairs and breakdowns by initially using this product instead of concrete. ADS makes several sizes and custom diameters up to 60 inches. Recent projects include Yankee Stadium, Brooklyn Park, World Trade Center Memorial, and Mets CitiField where the product was used to build an intricate floating field by designing a flexible drainage system to move with the playing field.

Polyethylene is a stable product and comes from natural gas, not oil. The product is environmentally valuable explained Goddard and comes from recycled plastics. There are no fumes, no waste product. We even save scrap pieces and melt them down,” he added.

Carney was given a tour of the plant and McPeek pointed out the banners hanging above honoring the company owned employees and their years of dedicated work at the 42,000 sqaure foot Muncy location. There are 93 employees and six production lines on thirty acres of land in the Muncy Industrial Park.

PenDot has been a customer since 1982. Other major customers include Home Depot and Lowes and markets expand from the Northeast United States to Canada. There are 32 locations in the United States. Outside markets include Chile, Santiago and Puerto Rico. There is a joint venture in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Fry’s Plastics in Pennsdale and Central Clay in Wilkes Barre are their two closest customers said Dan Kowalchuk, regional sales manager. Total sales for the company exceeded nine billion a year as of 2006.

The forty two year old company hopes that Carney will help provide and enforce a federal highway bill as a long term project to keep companies from being awarded no bid contracts for purchase materials.

Carney stated that he would like to address the transportation bill and appreciated the tour so he can learn something and then be able to help “craft good legislation”. “I find it enormously valuable to learn about a good product that will save tax dollars. If we can do that in the long run, then it benefits everyone,” said Carney.