Saint-Gobain completes expansion of Florida gypsum facility

Saint-Gobain, through its building product subsidiary CertainTeed Interior Products Group, has completed the expansion of its CertainTeed Gypsum manufacturing facility in Palatka, Florida.

The company says the expansion makes the facility the largest gypsum wallboard manufacturing facility in the world, replacing its sister site in Silver Grove, Kentucky.

The plant, which first began operations in 2001, is one of the largest employers in Palatka and Putnam County. The expansion project was first announced in 2023, and its completion is anticipated to create 110 new jobs in the Greater Jacksonville area.

According to Saint-Gobain, the addition of energy-efficient technology, including a new industrial dryer, will double product capacity at the facility. This additional production volume is expected to help CertainTeed meet growing demand, especially in the southeastern U.S. The plant plans to continue promoting circular economy practices and waste reduction, with practices already in place to recycle and reuse gypsum material.

A ribbon-cutting event hosted at the facility included remarks from Saint-Gobain North America President and CEO Mark Rayfield, President of CertainTeed Interior Projects Group Jay Bachmann and more.

“As a vital part of our operations, the expansion of our production activities in Palatka is a testament to our commitment to serving our customers, especially in the fast-growing southeastern United States market,” Rayfield says. “Congratulations to the entire team in Palatka and all of our partners who made this project possible. Together, we will work to continue providing high-quality gypsum wallboard solutions that builders and homeowners rely on.”

In September, Saint-Gobain, which is headquartered in France, also completed an expansion and sustainable upgrade project at its Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, CertainTeed Gypsum plant. The project completion marked the facility the first Scopes 1 and 2 zero-carbon gypsum wallboard plant in North America, according to the company.

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"[The] ribbon cutting ceremony in Palatka is the culmination of years of hard work to ensure we continue to deliver on our promise to provide high-quality, state-of-the-art gypsum wallboard products to our customers,” Bachmann says. “I would like to thank our entire plant and construction team, the Palatka community, Putnam County and the state of Florida for all of their support on this project that will serve the entire southeastern United States and bring quality, high-paying jobs to the local area.”