A crowd of nearly 200 state and local public officials, business leaders and citizens turned out July 24 for a groundbreaking ceremony for CertainTeed Corporation’s new $100 million manufacturing and distribution center in Jonesburg.When completed, the project is expected to create 100 new jobs.While the stars of the day were Gov. Jay Nixon, executives from CertainTeed and local leaders who guided the deal to completion, they shared equal billing with a backdrop of ground already being prepared by bulldozers on the 186-acre parcel of land at Scudder Road and Interstate 70.“There’s something special about speaking at a podium in front of hard-working Missourians while there actually is work going on,” said Gov. Nixon. “That shows you, quite frankly, how fast we are ready to work and support you in this decision you’ve made for the right place to invest your dollars to build the economy and the future right here in the Show-Me State.“In a few moments, we will pick up our shovels and break ground in the spot where a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and 150,000-square-foot warehouse soon will appear, helping to create 100 good jobs right here in Jonesburg,” said Gov. Nixon. “CertainTeed is not only investing $100 million into this development, they are also investing in this community and that, my friends, is something to celebrate.”Gov. Nixon told the crowd that the soon-to-be constructed facility represents another clear indication of the remarkable growth Missouri continues to see in every corner of the state, noting a just-released national study that ranked Missouri among the Top 10 most business-friendly states in the nation for the fourth year in a row.“With our predictable, low-tax economic climate, a perfect Triple-A credit rating and a skilled work force that is second-to-none, more and more businesses like CertainTeed are investing and bringing jobs to the Show-Me State,” he added.CertainTeed President: ‘The kind of people we want on our team’A strong contingent of CertainTeed leaders were present at the ceremony, with president Tom Smith speaking on behalf of the company, which is based in Valley Forge, Pa.“I assure you, we’re here to stay,” said Smith, who described himself as a “small-town guy” from the state of Louisiana.“We looked across a number of states in this area to decide where we were going to put this center of America plant, and clearly Missouri was the best choice for a very large number of reasons,” Smith added.“Quality products, a great brand and great people have built CertainTeed into the premier roofing company in North America.“The fabric of our organization is the several thousand people who work in our plants, in our offices and on our teams. We found that same spirit in Missouri. You’re the kind of people we want on our team.”After acknowledging the work of state and local economic development teams in marketing the area to CertainTeed, Smith laid out a picture of what the plant will mean day-to-day to the region, starting with construction of the facility.“There will be, at its height, nearly 200 contractors here a day over a period of 7-8 months,” Smith said, noting that nearby hotels, restaurants and truck stops would feel the positive impact.Smith said the company is working toward opening the facility in about nine months. Once it is in operation, the company will ship about 100-125 trucks of product a day for much of the year.As the plant gets going, he said they will have about 100-115 people at the factory, and that during height of production, the company will have 150-200 trucks of product going out each day, as well as trucks of raw materials coming in.Included in those incoming trucks will be colored stones that go on top of shingles produced by a roofing granule factory near Piedmont, Mo.“Every day on the road, dozens and dozens of trucks are going to be going back and forth from one small community in Missouri to another,” said Smith. “We’re very proud of that.“So in addition to the 100 jobs, every day, when we get going, we’ll also have 300-400 other people driving trucks, coming in on the railroad. With ancillary jobs in the community, we’re really excited about impacting 500-600 jobs in the area here.Smith said CertainTeed is a company committed to sustainability and environmental advancement, citing the company’s five-time record as Energy Star Partner of the Year and a three-time winner of the Sustainable Partner of Excellence award.“This company actually started in East St. Louis 109 years ago, so Jonesburg is like coming home,” Smith said.“We’re a good neighbor, and intend to do good works in the community,” said Smith. “If you need something, we’re here to help with our people, our money, our time, our talent, our treasure.”Interesting FactsAbout CertainTeedCertainTeed got its start in East St. Louis 109 years ago. The name is a contraction of the original slogan, Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed.French parent company Saint Gobain was formed to make the mirrors for the Palace of Versailles near Paris and home to Louis XIV.CertainTeed products can be found on the Space Shuttle and the Mars Rover Curiosity.The company’s roofing products cover the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the world’s largest domed stadium.CertainTeed products are part of the glass façade in the Freedom Tower being completed in New York near the site of the World Trade Towers.The company has a plant in Pevely that makes more than 3 million glass bottles a day for Anheuser-Busch InBev.The Jonesburg plant is CertainTeed’s first plant construction in 30 years.

Interesting Facts About CertainTeed

• CertainTeed got its start in East St. Louis 109 years ago. The name is a contraction of the original slogan, Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed.
• French parent company Saint Gobain was formed to make the mirrors for the Palace of Versailles near Paris and home to Louis XIV
• CertainTeed products can be found on the Space Shuttle and the Mars Rover Curiosity.
• The company’s roofing products cover the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the world’s largest domed stadium.
• CertainTeed products are part of the glass façade in the Freedom Tower being completed in New York near the site of the World Trade Towers.
• The company has a plant in Pevely that makes more than 3 million glass bottles a day for Anheuser-Busch InBev.The Jonesburg plant is CertainTeed’s first plant construction in 30 years.