new 460,000-square-foot facility represents an investment ex-
ceeding $150 million and will employ around 150 people in
positions ranging from management to the production line.
“This is an exciting time for ROCKWOOL Group,” says
Jens Birgersson, president and CEO of the global ROCKWOOL
Group. “Solid customer demand and strong market growth in
the United States and elsewhere reflect the reality that people
are increasingly discovering the quality and advantages of our
stone wool solutions. This is our second factory in the United
States, which positions us well for future growth.”
ROCKWOOL continues to work closely with the state of
West Virginia, Jefferson County, the Jefferson County Economic
Development Authority and the City of Ranson to ensure the
project is designed and constructed to meet or exceed building
code and environmental standards. Construction has begun on
the 130-acre site with site preparation already underway. Full
production at the completed ROCKWOOL facility is expect-
ed to commence in early 2020. The facility will manufacture
a full lineup of ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation products.
“ROCKWOOL is honored to be in West Virginia and to
be part of the greater community in Jefferson County and
the City of Ranson,” says Trent Ogilvie, president of ROCK-
WOOL North America. “We’d like to thank all those involved
in making it possible. We invite the community to get to know
us. As a company, we have a longstanding and proud record as
a caring corporate citizen and community partner. We’ve been
recognized as a top employer, and we’re invested in solutions
that provide true global impact, offering important benefits
to people, the built environment and the planet.”
Huntington’s Progress Building Ready for Businesses
The Progress Building.
Progress, LLC has announced that the first phase of reno-
vations to The Progress Building, located at 418 Eighth Street
in Huntington, has been completed, and the building is now
ready for tenants.
Constructed in 1924, the building was designed by architect
Levi Dean, who designed many significant structures in West
Virginia. It has been home to many businesses over the years,
thanks to its convenient downtown location on the county
courthouse square.
Designed by architect Phoebe Patton Randolph, AIA, of
Edward Tucker Architects and built by owner Justin Ran-
dolph’s construction company, Cardinal Builders of Barbo-
ursville, the recent restoration brought the structure back to
its original historic character. The project is being completed
using historic tax credits.
The building offers 12,000 square feet of office and retail
space with lease rates that include custom design, build-out,
utilities and maintenance.
Shepherd University’s Scarborough Library
Receives Grant for Solar Panels
The Scarborough Library at Shepherd University will be home
to the largest solar array in Shepherdstown with a $100,000
grant from EBSCO Information Services. The grant will pay
for the installation of approximately 170 solar panels on the
library’s roof that will generate at least 60 kilowatts of power.
“These panels will be put on a racking system that is slight-
ly tilted to catch more of the sun’s energy,” says Dr. Jeff Groff,
chair of Shepherd’s Institute of Environmental and Physical
Scien ces, who, along with Rachel Hally, library coordinator
of collections, wrote the grant.
“This will produce, in money terms, thousands of dollars
of free electricity every year,” says Groff. “It’s an investment
that’s going to grow over time because energy costs go up
every year, and the panels will be up there on the roof largely
maintenance free for decades, contributing to energy produc-
tion here on campus.”
The solar panels will be tied into the library’s electric system,
and a special meter will monitor how much electricity they
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