CertainTeed upgrades its California production facility
Saint-Gobain has announced a US$32 million investment to increase production capacity by 13% and reduce the carbon footprint of its CertainTeed insulation plant in California, United States.
The ground-breaking-US$32 million-investment in CertainTeed’s factory in Chowchilla, California, is part of a $400 million expansion plan across four U.S. manufacturing facilities. Announced last November, the investment comes just months after the launch of Saint-Gobain's new "Grow & Impact" strategic plan, which calls for increasing Saint-Gobain's presence in high-growth markets while reducing its environmental impact.
This investment strategy is a major long-term commitment to West Coast customers. It coincides with unprecedented growth in demand. For CertainTeed, a leader in the production of fiberglass insulation, it is a guarantee that they can meet the exponential needs of its buyers.
The Chowchilla plant upgrade, the largest investment since its creation in 1978, includes the addition of a new furnace and other equipment that will use less natural gas and electricity. The Saint-Gobain Group estimates that these improvements will reduce carbon emissions by 4,000 tons per year at the site. At the same time, an oxygen production unit has been installed. It consumes 30% less electricity than the old equipment it replaces.
The California site is far from the only one to benefit from new investments to achieve the objectives of the "Grow & Impact" strategic plan. Most notably, CertainTeed completed a $4.3 million water recycling project at a Kansas insulation plant in 2021 to reduce its water consumption by more than 850 million liters per year.