Drywall

USA Gypsum rebuilds after storm

Terry Weaver, owner of USA Gypsum, Denver, Pennsylvania, estimates a Feb. 27 wind storm caused $2 million to his drywall recycling facility.

The 75- to 90-mile-per hour winds caused a 125-foot tall bucket elevator to blow over onto the company’s packaging plant and damaged the company’s two-year-old recycling building.

“No one was at the plant when the storm went through, so we were fortunate,” says Weaver.

Weaver says he wasted no time getting help to repair and rebuild. “By Sunday morning, we had crews on-site and equipment moved in,” he says. “Work began Monday, and by week’s end we were cleaned up, had the building temporarily braced to prevent collapse and were mostly operational.”

Equipment orders were expedited to replace the tower, and within 30 days it was back in operation. Weaver attributes the quick recovery time to three things. “This event points out the importance of vendor relationships, adequate insurance and an emergency plan in case production is interrupted,” he says.

Weaver says he is now waiting on engineers, consultants and lawyers to determine what needs to be rebuilt at the facility.