Northwest Pipe Company's Innovative Radial Bending Joint Makes its Florida Debut in Water Pipeline Project

Northwest Pipe Company (Nasdaq: NWPX) announced the first commercial use of its patent-pending Permalok Radial Bending Joint (RBJ) in the South Hillsborough Pipeline project.

Rhea-AI Summary

Northwest Pipe Company (Nasdaq: NWPX) announced the first commercial use of its patent-pending Permalok Radial Bending Joint (RBJ) in the South Hillsborough Pipeline project. Northwest Pipe is supplying 5,764 linear feet of Permalok steel casing pipe for 18 underground crossings. The RBJ enables curved trenchless microtunneling so steel casing can follow curved alignments, allowing shafts to remain within easements and rights-of-way. Reported benefits include a smaller jobsite footprint, fewer shafts, more precise long-distance tunneling, and reduced construction impacts. The project, managed by Tampa Bay Water with Garney and Huxted Trenchless, will deliver up to 65 million gallons per day to treatment facilities near Lithia and Balm.

Positive

• First commercial deployment of patent-pending Permalok RBJ
• Supply order of 5,764 linear feet of Permalok steel casing
• 18 underground crossings in the South Hillsborough Pipeline project
• Project will deliver up to 65 million gallons per day
• RBJ enables curved trenchless installs, reducing shafts and jobsite footprint

Negative

• None.

Argus Jan 9 session

+3.60% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – NWPX

In the Jan 9 session, NWPX gained 3.60%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement showcases commercial deployment of NWPX’s Permalok Radial Bending Joint on a major...

Analysis

This announcement showcases commercial deployment of NWPX’s Permalok Radial Bending Joint on a major Florida water pipeline, supporting curved, trenchless microtunneling and potentially lowering project costs and disruption. In recent months the company has emphasized product innovation, sustainability disclosures, and record Q3 2025 results. Investors may watch how frequently RBJ technology appears in future project awards, how it contributes to backlog, and how these developments interact with ongoing capital return and insider trading disclosures.

Key Figures

Pipeline supply length: 5,764 linear feet Underground crossings: 18 underground crossings Water delivery capacity: 65 million gallons per day

Pipeline supply length

5,764 linear feet

Permalok steel casing pipe for South Hillsborough Pipeline project

Underground crossings

18 underground crossings

South Hillsborough Pipeline project scope

Water delivery capacity

65 million gallons per day

Additional water per day delivered by project

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 02

5 events

1. Dec 02

   Operational award

   24h Move

   +2.2%

   Utah Geneva unit named Utah Manufacturer of the Year for large companies.

2. Nov 25

   Product certification

   24h Move

   +0.8%

   Achieved UL 508A certification for control panel systems across water products.

3. Oct 29

   Earnings results

   24h Move

   +0.5%

   Reported record Q3 2025 net sales, gross profit, and strong segment performance.

4. Oct 15

   Sustainability disclosure

   24h Move

   -1.1%

   Published verified Environmental Product Declaration for water transmission pipe.

5. Oct 15

   Earnings notice

   24h Move

   -1.1%

   Announced timing and access details for upcoming Q3 2025 earnings release.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

microtunneling, trenchless, steel casing pipe

3 terms

microtunneling technical

"The patent-pending RBJ technology allows steel casing pipe to be installed along a curved path in microtunneling applications."

A trenchless construction method that installs underground pipes by pushing preassembled pipe sections through soil from a remote machine that bores and removes earth ahead of the pipe, similar to sliding a hollow tube through a cake while cutting a path in front. It matters to investors because it can reduce surface disruption, speed schedules, lower long‑term maintenance and permitting risks, and affect project costs and contractor revenue in infrastructure and utility contracts.

trenchless technical

"For the first time, steel casing pipe can be installed along a curved path in trenchless applications with ease."

Trenchless describes construction methods that install, repair, or replace underground pipes, cables and tunnels without digging long open trenches, using approaches like boring, pipe lining or directional drilling — imagine threading a new pipe under a street instead of tearing the road up. It matters to investors because trenchless work often lowers project costs and timelines, reduces community and regulatory disruption, and creates steady, repeatable service demand that can improve margins and reduce operational risk for companies in infrastructure and utilities.

steel casing pipe technical

"The patent-pending RBJ technology allows steel casing pipe to be installed along a curved path in microtunneling applications."

A steel casing pipe is a heavy, hollow metal tube used to line and protect holes, wells, or buried pipelines—think of it as a tough sleeve that keeps earth, water, or pressure from collapsing or contaminating the interior line. Investors care because demand and pricing for these pipes track activity in construction, oil and gas drilling, water infrastructure and manufacturing, and they are sensitive to steel costs, supply-chain constraints and capital spending cycles.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Patent-pending Permalok^® technology enables curved trenchless installations, reducing costs and construction impacts

VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NWPX Infrastructure (Nasdaq: NWPX), a leading manufacturer of water-related infrastructure products, today announced the first commercial use of its Permalok^® Radial Bending Joint (RBJ) in a major water pipeline project.

The patent-pending RBJ technology allows steel casing pipe to be installed along a curved path in microtunneling applications. This engineered advancement creates more opportunities for maneuverability in congested tunnel alignments, allowing the pipe path to bend and adapt to specific site conditions which could include existing utility lines, monuments, and building foundations. Additional benefits include a smaller jobsite footprint, fewer shafts, and more precise execution of tunneling over longer distances.

Northwest Pipe Company is supplying 5,764 linear feet of Permalok^® steel casing pipe for the South Hillsborough Pipeline project, which includes 18 underground crossings. The project, managed by Tampa Bay Water, will deliver up to an additional 65 million gallons of water per day from a regional treatment facility east of Tampa to a water treatment plant in Lithia and a future drinking water facility near Balm. Garney serves as the project's construction manager, and Huxted Trenchless is the microtunneling contractor.

The curved RBJ segment allows Tampa Bay Water to install microtunneling shafts within their prescribed bore path alignments, which are along easements and rights of ways. This eliminates additional shafts that would be required if the pipe were to be installed in straight segments.

"The RBJ is revolutionizing microtunneling," said Scott Montross, President and CEO of NWPX Infrastructure. "For the first time, steel casing pipe can be installed along a curved path in trenchless applications with ease. In this case, the RBJ's curved segments allow microtunneling shafts to be constructed within utility easements, avoiding the need for extra shafts and tunnels, and reducing overall project costs."

To learn more about Permalok RBJ and trenchless systems, please visit www.nwpipe.com.

About NWPX Infrastructure – Founded in 1966, NWPX Infrastructure, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of water-related infrastructure products. Under the Northwest Pipe Company brand, the Company is the largest manufacturer of engineered water transmission systems in North America and produces steel casing pipe, bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipe, and pipeline system joints and fittings. The Company also provides solution-based products for a wide range of markets including high-quality reinforced precast concrete products and lined precast sanitary sewer system components, which are manufactured under the NWPX Geneva brand, as well as water distribution and management equipment including pump lift stations, wastewater pretreatment, and stormwater quality products through the NWPX Park brand. Strategically positioned to meet growing water and wastewater infrastructure needs, the Company's skilled team is committed to quality and innovation while upholding its core values of accountability, commitment, and teamwork. Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, NWPX Infrastructure operates 13 manufacturing facilities across North America. For more information, please visit www.nwpx.com.

Contact:
Aaron Wilkins
Chief Financial Officer
NWPX Infrastructure, Inc.
360-397-6294 • awilkins@nwpx.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/northwest-pipe-companys-innovative-radial-bending-joint-makes-its-florida-debut-in-water-pipeline-project-302656736.html

SOURCE NWPX Infrastructure, Inc.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did Northwest Pipe (NWPX) announce on January 8, 2026?

Northwest Pipe announced the first commercial use of its patent-pending Permalok Radial Bending Joint (RBJ) in a major Florida pipeline project.

How much Permalok pipe is Northwest Pipe (NWPX) supplying for the South Hillsborough project?

Northwest Pipe is supplying 5,764 linear feet of Permalok steel casing pipe for the project.

What are the claimed benefits of the Permalok RBJ for microtunneling?

The RBJ allows curved trenchless installation, enabling shafts within easements, fewer shafts, a smaller jobsite footprint, and more precise tunneling.

Who are the project partners for the South Hillsborough Pipeline using NWPX products?

Tampa Bay Water manages the project; Garney is construction manager and Huxted Trenchless is the microtunneling contractor.

What water delivery capacity is associated with the South Hillsborough Pipeline?

The project will deliver up to 65 million gallons per day to regional water treatment facilities near Lithia and Balm.

Does the Permalok RBJ have issued patents for NWPX?

The company describes the Permalok RBJ as patent-pending, indicating patent applications are filed but not necessarily granted.