Tarkett and ATC Joint-Venture Plant Making Headway
Clarion, PA, January 8, 2007--Construction on a new state-of-the-art laminate flooring plant in Paint Township, a plant that will be home of a joint venture of Tarkett and ATC, a Chilean wood panel company, is making serious headway as the harsh weather has held off, according to the Derrick.
The 300,000-square-foot facility will be used to manufacture wood laminate flooring.
Work on the $50 million factory along Route 322 began last fall.
Aconcagua also operates the fiberboard plant in the area.
"Laminate flooring is a key focus for us as it is one of the fastest growing flooring categories in the United States," said Juan Obach, ATC’s chairman. "This addition to our Clarion facility is yet another example of our commitment to the North American market."
An estimated 80 new family-sustaining jobs will be created at the automated facility as a result of the addition.
Carlos Concha, plant and operations manager, said it's anticipated production will begin there in July.
"We've been lucky with the weather," he said.
The 300,000-square-foot plant will run at 60 to 80 percent capacity through the end of the year, he said.
Some equipment will start to arrive in March.
The extensive hiring process is expected to be carried out over the next several months.
Gregg Rinkus, who handles human resources at ATC, said they plan to start with the positions at the higher management level.
ATC has lost a key official with last year's departure of Clarion Boards Inc. general manager Jean des Autel. He has returned to Montreal and is currently working with another company.
The Clarion Boards facility currently uses a 10-foot-wide continuous press to produce medium and high density fiberboard.
About 125 workers are employed at the existing factory.
ATC Panels manufactures and sells particleboard, low density fiberboard, high density fiberboard, MDF mouldings and thermally fused melamine panels at its five North American manufacturing facilities.
Officials have detailed forecasts of a growing customer base for their flooring product.
The fiberboard plant is to serve as the main supplier of the new laminate plant, consuming 30 percent of its capacity.
And, officials say, the laminate market is expected to increase 15 percent per year for the next three years.
Clarion is to become the North American headquarters for Tarkett Laminate.
In one year, the United States is expected to account for 40 percent of worldwide sales.
