Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building products manufacturer, today announced a significant investment in a new commercial roofing single ply membrane facility in Milan, Ohio.
The production facility will manufacture Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) roofing products beginning in the second quarter of 2012.
“JM has dedicated substantial resources to underscore our commitment to the single ply business and ensure a strong future for our customers in this segment of the commercial roofing industry,” stated Fred Stephan, vice president and general manager of JM’s Roofing Systems business. “With over $125 million invested in our commercial roofing business over the past five years, we are especially pleased that this new facility rounds out our commitment to single ply. We intend to provide state-of-the-art EPDM product and technical services to our customers. EPDM is a proven product with a long history of success in the market and this strengthens our leadership position in the key markets we serve, complements our roofing systems membrane product offerings and fulfills needs expressed by many of our customers.”
“JM has made significant investments in our Roofing Systems business over the last several years,” said JM President and CEO Todd Raba. “This is the right time to invest in enhancing our product portfolio, because it strengthens our value to roofing contractors, building owners and our distributors. JM now has one of the broadest offerings of commercial roofing products in the industry.”
EPDM is a thermoset synthetic rubber single ply roofing membrane known for its durability, ease of installation and superior weathering characteristics. Approximately 80 percent of the EPDM market is located in the Midwest and Northeast. JM strategically selected a location close to the majority of its customers to ensure the most efficient delivery. The new facility, a former rubber manufacturing facility, is scheduled to begin renovations in May 2011, with approximately 100 million square feet of manufacturing capacity and production scheduled for mid-2012. This will be the second new Roofing Systems facility opened by JM in the past three years. JM opened its Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) plant in Scottsboro, AL, in November 2008.