Cardinal Glass Developing Close to $250 Million in New Insulated and Float Glass Plant Construction Projects in the U.S.

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Cardinal Glass Industries Incorporated (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), is currently constructing a $20 Million Insulated Glass Plant in the community of Odell, Oregon (Plant 1062165) just outside of Hood River, Oregon at a former lumber mill. Design Structures LLC, headquartered in Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin was selected as the engineering and construction contractor for the project. Groundbreaking for the 185,000 square foot insulated glass plant was held in August 2003 with completion slated for February 2004. Approximately 80 jobs will be created.

This is the second new insulated glass manufacturing plant that the company is currently developing in the U.S. Cardinal Glass recently selected a site for the other project, a 220,000 square foot insulated glass plant to be constructed in Vinton, Virginia (PEC 27001453). Construction should start next spring. The $23.9 million Vinton plant will employ 200 when it opens in the first quarter of 2005, and is being designed for a 102,000 square foot expansion, which could add 100 more employees within five years.

Outside of the insulated glass division, Cardinal Glass is also working on expanding U.S. float glass manufacturing operations. As previously reported by Industrialinfo.com (See archived IIR Industry Alert: Cardinal Glass is Building New Glass Plants to Serve Southwest U.S. Markets) the company is currently constructing their fourth U.S. float glass plant in Durant, Oklahoma (PEC 08000953). Construction of the over $100 million 500,000 square feet Durant float glass plant is scheduled to be completed late in 2004.

The newest project for the company is a fifth U.S. float glass plant to be located in the Northwest U.S. region. Cardinal Glass is performing site studies and has submitted for preliminary environmental approval to construct a float glass plant on a county owned site near Highway 603 and Avery Road in Winlock, Lewis County, Washington (PEC 21001226). A hearing is expected in the next couple of months and if approved, construction could start in late 2004 on the heels of the Durant project. Completion of the Northwest float glass plant would not happen until early 2006.

These projects are the latest in an ongoing effort by Cardinal Glass to expand its U.S. market share. Cardinal Glass Industries, founded in 1962 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has over 4,000 employees. They currently operate 18 manufacturing facilities and two research and development centers.