Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from ROXUL, Inc. cut the ribbon on the company’s first U.S. manufacturing facility in Byhalia, Miss., in Marshall County. The facility is 600,000 square feet and is located on a 100-acre site in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park. The project is a $160 million corporate investment and is creating 150 new jobs.
ROXUL Inc. is a leading manufacturer of stone wool insulation products. Stone wool is a fiber-based insulation made from natural stone and recycled content.
The company announced in June 2012 it would locate its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Marshall County, and it broke ground in May 2013. The construction process often employed more than 500 workers at the site.
“Today is an exciting day for the entire state of Mississippi as ROXUL opens its cutting-edge manufacturing facility, the company’s first in the U.S., in Marshall County,” Gov. Bryant said. “The company is also putting Mississippi in the global spotlight – helping us show the world that great things are happening in our state and that Mississippi is a wonderful place for business. We have the infrastructure, the resources and the workforce to ensure growth and success for our companies. I have no doubt ROXUL will thrive here in Byhalia and I congratulate the ROXUL team and everyone involved with the project on this milestone. I wish the company many successful years in our state.”
“This is truly a historic occasion for ROXUL,” said ROXUL President Trent Ogilvie. “When conducting our site selection due diligence, it was clear that the state of Mississippi and Marshall County provided us the optimal location from both a manufacturing and distribution standpoint. The support ROXUL has received from the community and the state has been terrific. We couldn’t have found a better place to call home.”
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance for the project through the Mississippi Industry Incentive Financing Revolving Fund for site preparation, as well as assistance for road improvements and workforce training. Additionally, Marshall County Commission provided assistance for infrastructure improvements.
“It is always exciting when a company announces its plans to locate in our state and create job opportunities for Mississippi’s residents, and it is equally as exciting when those plans are realized and companies officially open for business,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “MDA is proud to have assisted ROXUL with locating its first U.S. stone wool insulation manufacturing facility in Marshall County, and we look forward to a prosperous business relationship with the company for many years to come. We congratulate ROXUL on this exciting day, as well as our partners in Marshall County and at the Appalachian Regional Commission who worked to bring this project to fruition.”
ROXUL Inc. is the North American division of Denmark-based ROCKWOOL International, the world’s leading producer of stone wool, and has been operating in Canada for more than 20 years. The company is the leading North American manufacturer of stone wool insulation products for the North American market and has operations in Milton, Ontario, and Grand Forks, British Columbia. Both facilities employ world-class technology to produce residential products, as well as a wide array of industrial, commercial and marine stone wool insulation products. To learn more, please visit www.roxul.com.