Gov. Phil Bryant joined company representatives from CertainTeed and local officials to announce the company is restarting its ceiling tile manufacturing operations in Meridian, Miss., in the same facility it purchased in 2005. The project represents a $24 million company investment and will create 110 new jobs by 2016. Production is expected to resume during the second quarter of 2014. Once operational, the facility will produce a range of ceiling tiles and acoustical wall panels used in commercial construction applications.
CertainTeed, one of North America’s leading building products manufacturers, ceased production at the Meridian location in 2009 in the midst of the construction market downturn. The facility, which has been idle since that time aside from a small customer service center operation, employed 120 workers when the company discontinued operations. Ceiling tiles have been manufactured in the facility since 1941 throughout various stages of ownership.
“The reopening of this facility today is great news for Meridian and the entire state of Mississippi, and I am proud CertainTeed is reinvesting in Mississippi to create jobs for the area’s workforce,” Governor Bryant said. “CertainTeed’s commitment to Mississippi is truly appreciated, and this restart of operations symbolizes a new beginning of success and prosperity.”
“When we idled the Meridian facility four years ago during the height of our country’s economic crisis, we weren’t sure when or if we’d ever be able to reopen this plant,” said John Crowe, President and CEO of CertainTeed Corporation. “But through gradual market recovery, solid growth in our Ceilings business and the tremendous efforts of Governor Bryant, Mayor Barry, the Mississippi Development Authority and many other state and local economic development officials, we celebrate the rebirth of this facility with the promise of quality jobs to be filled by hard working Mississippians.”
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project for modifications to the company’s facility and for infrastructure improvements. The City of Meridian and Lauderdale County provided assistance for the project, as well.
“We are proud to provide assistance to help this great company restart production at its Meridian facility and create these new jobs for the area’s workers,” MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen said. “We thank our partners at the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, the City of Meridian and Lauderdale County who worked to make this project possible.”
CertainTeed is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, gypsum and ceilings. CertainTeed has approximately 6,000 employees and 65 facilities throughout the United States and Canada and had sales of approximately $3.3 billion in 2012.
CertainTeed is a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain. Headquartered in Paris, France, Saint-Gobain is one of the top 100 industrial companies in the world and employs approximately 19,000 people in North America and approximately 193,000 people in 64 countries worldwide. Saint-Gobain’s North American companies operate 130 manufacturing facilities in industries as diverse as industrial ceramics and containers, reinforcements and flat glass, abrasives and building materials. For more information, please visit www.certainteed.com.