JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — An international company that makes insulation said Wednesday it will build its first U.S. manufacturing facility in north Mississippi's Marshall County.
Roxul Inc. makes stone wool insulation from natural stone and recycled content. The company said it will invest about $130 million and will start later this year on construction of a 600,000-square-foot facility in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park in Byhalia, Miss., about 31 miles from Memphis, Tenn.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and company officials announced the project in news releases Wednesday. They said the plant will create about 150 jobs and production is scheduled to begin in 2014.
"Roxul is thrilled to be building its first manufacturing facility in the United States," Roxul president Trent Ogilvie said. "Roxul has continued to experience double-digit sales growth throughout North America and the new facility will ensure we can meet our customers' growing demands in North America".
Mississippi Development Authority, the state's economic development agency, provided loan assistance and aid for road improvements and worker training. The governor's office said Marshall County and the Appalachian Regional Commission provided assistance for infrastructure improvements.
"Mississippi welcomes Roxul as its newest corporate citizen and looks forward to new jobs in the Byhalia area," Bryant said.
Roxul Inc. is based in Canada and is a subsidiary of Rockwool International, based in Denmark.
Roxul said its current factories in Milton, Ontario, and Grand Forks, British Columbia, will remain in operation. The company website says Roxul's insulation products are used in residential and commercial buildings and are "fire resistant, water repellent, non-corrosive and resistant to mold."
____
Online: Roxul Inc.: www.roxul.com