Owens Corning will be constructing a new manufacturing facility in Fort Smith that will eventually replace its existing facility.
This new 550,000-square-foot facility will sit on 56 acres adjacent to its current property, which is located at 5520 Planters Road in Fort Smith. Owens Corning launched its Fort Smith manufacturing operations in 1984, producing mat for roofing shingles and nonwoven products.
The new facility in Fort Smith will continue to produce roofing mat. It will also provide manufacturing capacity for other building material applications.
All 79 current full-time employees will remain at the facility, and the company is expected to add five new employees.
“Owens Corning appreciates the support provided by Governor Hutchinson, the Fort Smith Board of Directors, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce throughout the planning process,” Marcio Sandri, president of the composites business at Owens Corning, said in a statement. “We’re proud to have been part of the Fort Smith community for more than three decades and we look forward to future growth. With this new state-of-the-art facility, Owens Corning is investing in the future of Fort Smith and our business.”
In December 2020, the Fort Smith Board of Directors approved a $100 million expansion for the Owens Corning facility. According to reporting from 5 News Online, the board approved revenue bond sales to help fund the expansion.
Owens Corning reported consolidated net sales of $7.1 billion in 2020, a 1 percent decrease from 2019, with a net loss of $383 million for the year. The company had net earnings of $405 million in 2019.
Production at the new plant is slated to begin in mid-2023.
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Image courtesy of Owens Corning
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