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Johns Manville Expands Defiance, Ohio, Manufacturing Plant

01/10/2019
Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building and specialty products manufacturer, will make a significant investment toward expanding capacity at its manufacturing facility in Defiance, Ohio.

According to company officials, the expansion will allow Johns Manville to increase the production of its fiberglass pipe insulation products, Micro-Lok HP and Micro-Lok HP Ultra. JM will begin the capacity expansion project early this year and anticipates the completion of the first new production line in 2020.

“We are investing in our mechanical insulation business to meet increasing customer demand for our market-leading fiberglass pipe insulations,” said Mary Rhinehart, President & CEO of Johns Manville. “Our decision to make this investment is an intentional step that positions JM to support our customers in a growing industry.”

“Thanks to the support of our customers, we have seen continued growth in this business since we rebuilt the Defiance pipe insulation plant in 2007,” said Bob Wamboldt, President of JM’s Insulation Systems business. “The growth is a result of market demand and, more importantly, demonstrates a distinct preference for JM’s pipe insulation, Micro-Lok HP and HP Ultra.”

Mike McCann, the mayor of Defiance, said the pipe expansion will benefit the city. “We are excited that Johns Manville has continued to support our community by investing in its business here,” McCann said. “Naturally, JM’s presence is good for the local economy, and the positive influence JM has on the people and families who live in Defiance is incredibly valuable.”

Jim Swift, the Plant Manager in Defiance said, “JM has been part of the Defiance community for more than 60 years. We are excited to create more jobs as part of this expansion and to continue supporting community organizations. Our employees have done an excellent job in driving the success of our pipe insulation, and we will continue to focus on providing a consistently high-quality product for our customers.”

In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales over $3 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs 7,600 people and operates 42 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China.

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