Construction begins on manufacturing facility, second part of $100 million complex
By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor The first shipment of roofing shingles have been delivered, just the start of more to come from its new Jonesburg facility, CertainTeed executives say. Company officials last week unveiled its new state-of-the-art roofing product warehouse. The 150,000-square-foot facility is the first phase of a planned $100 million complex. Construction is now under way on a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that will produce roofing shingles. When complete, the CertainTeed complex will serve as the production and distribution site for roofing shingles in the Midwest. Construction is slated to be finished in late 2015. The company broke ground on the project in July 2013. The CertainTeed facility is located east of Jonesburg, off Interstate 70 near Scudder Ranch Road on the Warren-Montgomery County line. When the manufacturing facility is completed, company officials said it will bring approximately 100 permanent jobs to the area. In addition, an estimated 400 ancillary jobs in trucking, welding and maintenance services will also be created. Currently, about 10 employees have been hired to help run the distribution facility. The company is currently ramping up efforts to hire more, with the large portion to be hired in 2015 when construction is slated to be finished on the manufacturing facility. CertainTeed has long roots in the region, President Tom Smith pointed out. The company was founded more than 100 years ago in East St. Louis. “To come back here is a big deal,” Smith said. Last week’s open house allowed attendees, including contractors, architects and distributors, to attend seminars, product demonstrations and tour the new facility. Also in attendance were local elected officials and representatives of the Great Warren County Economic Development Council, which played a key role in the company’s decision to open its facility in Jonesburg. Local officials said they were impressed by what they have seen so far. “It will help the economy,” Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage said. “When other companies see it, I think they will be enticed to come to Warren, Montgomery County. We are lucky to have them.” Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner added: “I think it will be an astronomical impact. I was taken aback by all of their products.” CertainTeed officials said the Jonesburg facility will fulfill a need to have a plant in the Midwest. “You could see a void in this part of the country for CertainTeed,” plant manager Mark Hyde said. “We couldn’t reach this area very well. This was a prime opportunity for us.” Since first being approached about the possible building site to last year’s groundbreaking to now, Smith said he has been impressed with the assistance received from the local level. Prior to selecting the Jonesburg site, the company initially looked at building sites in five different states and eventually narrowed its choice to Missouri and Illinois. “The process have been very businesslike,” Smith told The Record. “Everything has worked out — it hasn’t been without challenge or issue — but between the public and private partnership, everything has gotten done. The people here couldn’t be any better. They are so doggone nice. We love being here. We like the work ethic we’ve found.” A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed is headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa. In addition to the Jonesburg facility, CertainTeed operates 10 asphalt shingle plants, one low-slow commercial roofing facility and three stand-along granule production plants throughout the United States. The company has the world’s largest roofing plant in Oxford, N.C.
CertainTeed President Tom Smith
