The ROCKWOOL Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of stone wool products, invested approximately $40 million in the new 130,000-square-foot (12,000-square-meter) Rockfon North America facility. With support from colleagues at ROCKWOOL and its worldwide network, the U.S. production line began as scheduled and is operating as anticipated. (Click here to see a video of the Rockfon North America facility and the first of its ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ stone wool ceiling panels)
“We are excited to have our first Rockfon North America facility open and operating as planned,” says Rockfon President – Americas John Medio. “We listened to the North American market and heard its growing demand for our stone wool acoustic ceiling products. Our new facility is a game-changer in the U.S. ceiling products industry. It extends our capacity across the globe and positions us well for future expansion.”
Rockfon’s new facility in Marshall County is located adjacent to an existing manufacturing center for ROXUL®, an affiliated company under the ROCKWOOL umbrella. ROXUL manufactures a full line of residential, commercial, industrial and roof board stone wool insulation products.
Trent Ogilvie, North American president of ROXUL Inc., welcomes Rockfon and notes, “ROCKWOOL continually demonstrates its commitment to and investment in our North American market. The successful completion of Rockfon’s first U.S. facility responds to the increased demand for stone wool products, and paves the way for further growth and innovation.”
Medio agrees and adds, “As part of ROCKWOOL, we are fortunate to draw from our global network to support and accentuate the strengths of our local resources. Together with our distributors, we are increasing our share of the ceiling panel market in North America.”
Medio continues, “Today, we are proud to say our complete ceiling systems are ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ Producing locally makes it easier and faster to supply our customers and distributors with Rockfon’s high quality products. Reduced lead times as well as a comprehensive inventory program maintained in our strategically located U.S. warehouses offer increased service levels to our customers.”
Essential to its operations, a well-trained workforce supports Rockfon’s high quality standards. More than 90 jobs ranging from management to skilled production staff have been created with this new facility. The majority of Rockfon’s new colleagues live in or near Marshall County, Mississippi. These jobs contribute to the healthy economy of the state and the nation.
Rockfon will host a grand opening celebration and tours of the stone wool ceiling manufacturing facility in Mississippi later this year.
To learn more about Rockfon stone wool ceiling panels, metal ceiling panels and suspension systems, please visit www.rockfon.com. For additional support, please call 800-323-7164 or email cs@rockfon.com.
About Rockfon
Rockfon is part of the ROCKWOOL Group and is offering advanced acoustic ceilings to create beautiful, comfortable spaces.
At the ROCKWOOL Group, we are committed to enriching the lives of everyone who experiences our solutions. Our expertise is perfectly suited to tackling many of today’s biggest sustainability and development challenges, from energy consumption and noise pollution to fire resilience, water scarcity and flooding. Our range of products reflects the diversity of the world’s needs, supporting our stakeholders in reducing their own carbon footprint along the way.
Stone wool is a versatile material and forms the basis of all our businesses. With approximately 10,500 passionate colleagues in more than 35 countries, we are the world leader in stone wool solutions, ranging from building insulation to acoustic ceilings, external cladding systems to horticultural solutions, engineered fibers for industrial use to insulation for the process industry, marine and offshore.
Rockfon North America facility and company overview
Rockfon is a leading provider of acoustic stone wool ceiling panels, specialty metal ceiling products and suspension systems.
We help building owners, designers and installers create beautiful, comfortable spaces that enrich modern living, support sustainability and provide peace of mind.
Made in America
- Our complete ceiling product offering combines Rockfon® acoustic stone wool and specialty metal ceiling panels with Chicago Metallic™ suspension systems.
- Our first North American manufacturing facility of acoustic stone wool ceiling panels has opened in Marshall County, Mississippi.
- Our specialty metal ceiling panels and Chicago Metallic suspension systems continue to be manufactured in our Chicago and Baltimore facilities.
Key Benefits
- Producing locally makes it easier and faster for our customers and distributors to access Rockfon’s high quality products.
- Reduced lead times, as well as a comprehensive inventory program maintained in our strategically located U.S. warehouses, offer increased service levels to our customers.
- Together with our distributors, we are increasing our share of the ceiling panel market in North America.
- More than 90 jobs were created at our new Mississippi facility.
- Across North America, Rockfon employees are part of the ROCKWOOL Group’s 10,500 passionate colleagues working in more than 35 countries.
Sustainability
- Products produced in the USA will reduce the fuel required to deliver our products to our customers by 75 percent.
- Overall greenhouse gas emissions from transportation to our customers have been reduced by 74 percent for our products manufactured in Marshall County.
- Our stone wool ceiling panels consist of up to 42 percent recycled content. The rest is made primarily of basalt rock—a material in essentially limitless supply.
- Our extensive North American portfolio of stone wool acoustic ceiling solutions has earned UL® Environment’s GREENGUARD Gold Certification for low-emitting products.
- Stone wool resists water and provides no sustenance to harmful microorganisms or mold, contributing to indoor air quality.