Johns Manville Celebrates Start-Up of TPO Plant in Scottsboro, Alabama

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a dedication ceremony held today, Johns Manville (JM), a leading global manufacturer of energy-efficient building products, celebrated the start-up of its Scottsboro, Ala. thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing facility. JM customers along with state and local dignitaries joined JM executives for a brief ceremony and tour of the new manufacturing facility.

“Johns Manville has a long and proud tradition of making a difference in the communities where we work and live and we enjoy being a part of the Scottsboro community”

TPO is the fastest-growing segment of the roofing membrane market in North America as demand for the product continues to increase. With the opening of the Scottsboro TPO facility, JM is well positioned to meet its customers’ diverse needs.

“We’re here to recognize the successful completion of an investment that strengthens and complements our full line of bituminous and single-ply roofing products – an example of how JM continuously looks for opportunities to help our customers become increasingly successful,” said JM President and CEO Todd Raba.

“As a Berkshire Hathaway company, JM has the unique capability to place its customers’ needs at the forefront of everything we do. Customer satisfaction, not shareholders or Wall Street, drives our business decisions,” stated Mr. Raba.

JM’s $30 million investment in the state-of-the-art facility signifies a long-term commitment to its customers and the marketplace. JM offers a full line of insulation and accessories, as well as a comprehensive product and system guarantee to support these systems.

“We are thrilled this day has come. This state-of-the-art TPO plant shows JM's commitment to the TPO market and establishes JM as one of the key TPO manufacturers in North America,” said Vin Perella, CEO of Roofing Supply Group and a 20-year JM customer.

The facility was completed in July 2008 and the first shipments of TPO left the plant in August. JM is manufacturing TPO in five, eight and 10-foot widths for use in commercial and industrial mechanically attached and fully adhered roofing systems.

Scottsboro’s close proximity to JM’s markets along with the talented local work force made it an ideal location for the new facility.

“I’d like to express my appreciation for the efforts of the Jackson County Economic Development Authority, the Scottsboro Industrial Development Board and the City of Scottsboro, all of which were instrumental in bringing Johns Manville to this community,” said Alabama Senator Lowell Barron. “JM had a lot of options, but they saw the benefits of placing their facility here in Scottsboro. We’re pleased to have them as new neighbors.”

The plant currently employs 35 people and operates four days a week.

“Johns Manville has a long and proud tradition of making a difference in the communities where we work and live and we enjoy being a part of the Scottsboro community,” said JM Scottsboro Plant Manager Dan Stott. “We’re proud of our safety record throughout the construction and start-up phases of this project and our employees will continue to focus on ensuring a safe workplace.”

About Johns Manville and the Roofing Systems Business

Among numerous building product solutions, JM offers a full line of roofing systems, service capabilities and guarantee programs for commercial, industrial and institutional roofing markets. It is the only manufacturer to offer a complete line of roofing membranes, including BUR, APP, SBS, EPDM, PVC and TPO. The JM product line includes a range of roofing insulations and cover boards as well as a broad line of accessories. JM designs all materials to work together in a fully functionally integrated system, thereby enabling the company to offer the industry’s most comprehensive roof performance guarantee program.

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. The Denver-based company has sales in excess of $2 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs about 7,500 people and operates 40 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.