CertainTeed Roofing, Avery
The next chapter in a rich history 
When Troy Fronzaglio, Regional Manufacturing Manager moved to the area a few years ago to join the team at Milan's CertainTeed, he was surprised to meet a few people in the community who weren’t familiar with the company. With a few descriptors, it wouldn’t take long for people to respond with some variation of “Ooo, of course. Big building. Right by the turnpike.”

That’s the one. CertainTeed’s location has been a manufacturing site in Erie County for 132 years and under CertainTeed operation since 1968. Today, the location has over 200 employees responsible for the production of innovative and sustainable building products.  Things have been running more than smoothly at the site, leading to a recently announced $37MM expansion project that is sure to catch attention in the community.
A Solid Foundation
CertainTeed’s expansion will build on fifty years of success and a committed team. The site specializes in asphalt roofing shingles, responsible for 68 different locally manufactured units (SKUs) and serving as a distribution point for 240 different finished products (SKUs) from across the CertainTeed Saint-Gobain family.  It’s no simple feat and last year this meant:
  • Production of $4.5MM squares, or enough product to roof 180,000 homes.
  • Shipping over 20,000 trucks and 270 rail cars throughout the Lake Central region (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, WV and Canada)
  • Receiving over 16,000 trucks and 2,700 rail cars throughout the year
  • All while maintaining top industry credentials and performance measures like ISO 9001:2015 quality certification and OSHAS 18001 safety certification. 

A display in the CertainTeed lobby talks about the company’s vision, and principles like an absolute commitment to safety, their people, and the environment, but the company’s recent accomplishments make it clear these sentiments are carried far beyond the lobby – It’s been 1.6 MM labor hours worked since the last lost time injury at the site. In 2018, the site was recognized among Saint-Gobain North American sites (more than 60 plants in the US & Canada) as a Sustainability Champion. A local multidisciplinary team had worked on 15 energy and waste reduction projects for their operations and also received an Achievement Level Award from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. 

CertainTeed and its parent, Saint-Gobain - a 350+ year old company, are proud to create great products that build the spaces where we live, work, play, learn, and heal. As long-standing businesses, the companies recognize their production and processes must also protect the environment of these spaces.  
CertainTeed facility and team members accepting company awards in 2018.
Looking Ahead   
In 2018, CertainTeed Avery, was pleased to announce its next chapter of a long history in Milan – the addition of a new asphalt processing plant to their operation.  Over their fifty years of operation, CertainTeed Avery had made continuous site improvements and expansions, but for several years now the company had been landlocked.  The company was fully utilizing its 55 acre site with 6 acres under roof and the remainder serving as storage for finished goods (holding 850,000 squares or enough product for 34K homes to be exact.) 

When the company became aware of nearby land available for sale, they saw the opportunity for their long-term growth aspirations through vertical integration.  They acquired 9 acres to construct an asphalt processing plant, and the decision will accomplish several goals for the operation.  The new plant improves supply stability of their raw materials, meaning more process control and quality assurances.  The plant will allow for more delivery of raw material via rail, streamlining site flow by reducing truck traffic to the site by 2,000 trucks annually.  The expansion will also allow CertainTeed to be even more responsive to customers and address just in time market demands.  Finally, the project reaffirms its commitment to its employees and the community through 10 new jobs created and retention of their 200+ current employees.  In 2018, we saw demolition and initial phases of construction begin.  The project is expected to be complete and operations beginning at the end of 2019.  

CertainTeed & Saint-Gobain are some of the world’s largest and oldest building materials companies, making it all the more rewarding to have them select Milan, Erie County for their latest advancement.  Congratulations to the facility’s team and our business environment for earning another vote of confidence.
Learn more about this project with our annual awards video feature .
Thank you to the Sandusky Register for providing some of the photos for this message.
Did You Know?
Major facility upgrades often require site improvements. To support the CertainTeed expansion, ECEDC and a team of local and state partners brought together resources and strategies to assist with upgrading utility and transportation services to the expanding site. Entities involved included JobsOhio, Team Northeast Ohio, Columbia Gas, TransCanada, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Norfolk Southern, the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation. ECEDC is the first place to start in pulling together a team like this. Contact us to find out how we can help and ensure smooth progression of your next project.  
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The 12 Days of Development email series recognizes and celebrates another year of progress in Erie County, Ohio. Throughout the month of December, you will receive email spotlights on a company investing, improving and innovating in our community. We can't capture it all, so let us know a neighbor we missed or what activities you've got planned to make the 2019 list! #ErieCounty12Days