Johns Manville to build in Hillsboro Industrial Park

Johns Manville (JM), a global building and specialty products manufacturer and a Berkshire Hathaway Company, announced plans last week to build a polyiso production plant in the Hillsboro industrial park.

“We take great pride in creating and delivering the best products for our customers,” said Mary Rhinehart, president and CEO of Johns Manville. “This expansion south of Dallas/Fort Worth, in an area where construction is surging, will increase availability of our premium products to customers throughout the region.”

Dubbed Project Maverick initially, negotiations with the company and developer Craig Hughes have been ongoing since April, according to Arthur Mann, administrator for the Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation (HEDC).

JM will begin construction on the new production facility in the near future, pending various government approvals, and anticipates completion in mid-2021. When complete, JM will employ more than 50 people at the new facility.

“There are tremendous growth opportunities in the Southwest for polyiso products,” said Joe Smith, president of JM’s Roofing Systems business. “Three of the 10 largest cities in the country are a short drive from Hillsboro, and some of our largest roofing contractors are located within the service area.”

The Hillsboro plant will manufacture polyiso products including ENRGY 3® roof insulation, ProtectoR® HD high density cover board, AP® Foil Faced Foam sheathing and GoBoard® tile backer.

These polyiso products are preferred in the market due to their high R-value per inch and the lightweight strength and durability they offer for several building applications, JM officials said.

The Hillsboro facility will also include a JM roofing distribution center. The warehouse will stock many JM products, including TPO and TPO accessories, to help JM meet local demand.

“We are excited to build in an area close to our customers and where we can hire good people into the JM family to help our customers be successful,” said Matt Sayer, Polyiso and Boards Product Manager for JM. “Johns Manville will be well-positioned with this expansion to increase product supply to meet the growing demand from our customers.”

Local officials welcomed JM’s decision to expand in Hillsboro.

“Johns Manville is an important addition to the manufacturing and industrial base in Hillsboro,” said Hillsboro City Manager Frank Johnson. “Johns Manville has a long-term, stable national and international presence and is known to be a good corporate citizen. We are excited to have them become part of our community.”

Hughes Commercial Real Estate and Development is the developer on the project. Hughes said, “The availability of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) weighed heavily in our decision to select Hillsboro as the finalist site for our new manufacturing plant.”

Rail service was also a key factor in JM selecting the Hillsboro site.

The City of Hillsboro was also able to secure a $1 million Texas Capital Fund grant through the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The grant money will be used to extend Pecos Street to the south and bring water and wastewater utilities to the property.

JM becomes Hillsboro’s second Berkshire Hathaway Company joining Clayton Supply, a subsidiary of Clayton Homes.

The Denver-based JM has been in business since 1858, has annual sales of over $3 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves.

JM employs 8,000 people and operates 46 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China.

Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.