TOLEDO, Ohio, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Owens Corning's continual evaluation of its manufacturing platform to ensure the lowest-cost, capital efficient production and superior customer service, the company announced its latest strategic plans to increase capacity for its light density fiber glass and fiber glass loose fill insulation products to meet industry needs through 2005. "We are constantly evaluating our business to make certain we're adding capacity in advance of demand to serve our markets, meet our customers' needs, and grow with them," said John Pagano, Owens Corning's vice president and general manager, Residential Insulation, North America. In 2004, Owens Corning will upgrade and restart a mothballed production line at its centrally-located Kansas City facility. This upgrade, along with ongoing efforts to heighten efficiencies, improve quality, and introduce new technology at other Owens Corning insulation facilities, will enable the company to realize a 15 percent increase in light density capacity by 2004. In addition, the company will increase the capacity of its Fairburn, GA, plant by 20 percent in 2005 through the installation of its RHOAD™ technology, OC's highest performing manufacturing platform. For loose fill insulation products, already completed upgrades in the Newark, OH; Salt Lake City, UT; and Santa Clara, CA, facilities will be joined by expansions in the Toronto, Ontario facility in February. Another expansion for 2004 is under evaluation. Combined, these expansions will deliver a 30 percent total loose fill capacity increase for ProPINK® unbonded loosefill and Advanced ThermaCube Plus® insulation. "This plan is a clear reflection of our commitment to meet our customers' needs and to build our business with them as they build theirs," said Pagano. "We expect the market to be robust, and we're ready for that demand now and in the future." Owens Corning is a world leader in building materials systems and composite systems. Founded in 1938, the company had sales of $4.9 billion in 2002. Additional information is available on Owens Corning's Web site at www.owenscorning.com or by calling the company's toll-free General Information line 1-800-GET PINK.
