American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO), founded in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1905, is a leading manufacturer of ductile iron pipe and fittings for the waterworks and power industries. ACIPCO employs approximately 3,000 people nationwide. ACIPCO manufactures ductile iron pipe in standard 20-foot lengths ranging from 4- through 64-inch diameters. The company's product line also features joints of various types designed for ease of installation and dependability in a variety of conditions. These joint types are: Fastite®, Flex-Ring®, Field Flex-Ring®, Lok-Ring®, Flex-Lok®, MT Push Pipe™, GS Push Pipe®, Push-Bar™, Mechanical Joint, MJ Coupled Joint, Flanged, Grooved and Shouldered, Fast-Grip® Gasket, and Toruseal® Flanged Gasket. ACIPCO also furnishes standard and special linings and coatings. American Cast Iron Pipe Company has long maintained a work environment that encourages and rewards innovation. A few of many examples: ACIPCO was the first company to provide cement lining of water pipe; it pioneered the development of ductile iron pipe, a much stronger and more flexible product than its cast iron predecessor; it was the first American company to produce large-diameter ductile iron pipe; and ACIPCO was the first American producer of ductile iron pipe to receive ISO 9000 certification. In recent years, the company upgraded its Customer Service Department to make it "the best anywhere, in any industry." ACIPCO's Birmingham headquarters is on a 2,100-acre site that measures three miles in length, with almost 60 acres of plant under roof. The Birmingham facility is the world's largest individual iron pipe casting plant. ACIPCO distributes its products throughout the United States as well as in international markets. In addition to its Ductile Iron Pipe Division, ACIPCO has three others: the American Steel Pipe Division, which manufactures high-pressure steel pipe for the oil, gas, and power industries; American Flow Control, which produces valves, fire hydrants, and pumps; and American Centrifugal, which produces steel castings. American SpiralWeld Pipe, a wholly owned subsidiary of ACIPCO, manufactures spiral-welded steel pipe in diameters through 144 inches for the water and power industries.