Johns Manville Celebrates Five Years of Manufacturing in Milan, Ohio

DENVER — Johns Manville (JM), a global building products manufacturer and a Berkshire Hathaway company, is celebrating five years of operation of its EPDM plant in Milan, Ohio. The plant officially opened in May 2012. The company plans to host a five-year celebration in July 2017 to highlight the plant’s success.

“We are so impressed with the dedicated employees in Milan and their pride of ownership in manufacturing high-quality roofing products,” said Joe Smith, Senior Vice President and General Manager of JM Roofing Systems. “Our investment in Milan fits well with our already strong position in the marketplace. We also have a strong connection to the local community and look forward to many more years of success in Milan.”

EPDM is a thermoset synthetic rubber single ply roofing membrane known for its durability, ease of installation and superior weathering characteristics. JM is using modern extrusion technology as a part of their process, which results in a cleaner sheet with less pock marks or voids. The benefits to roofing contractors and building managers are significant; using a membrane with less surface defects can lead to a longer lifespan and lower lifecycle costs.

“We have exceeded expectations in Milan,” said Jennifer Ford-Smith, Director of Sales of JM Roofing Systems. “Our top priority when we opened five years ago was to use state-of- the-art equipment to make the best EPDM membrane in the industry. The ability to leverage a product with superior characteristics with the innovation of our FIT (Factory Inseam Tape) seaming method has resulted in a steady increase in customer demand for our products.”

The plant employs about 100 people who live in Milan and surrounding communities. JM operates two other manufacturing plants in northern Ohio; there is an insulation plant in Defiance and an engineered products plant in Waterville.