When you think about it, the fact that it’s not cost-effective to ship plastic foam makes a lot of sense. And if you’re in the business of making the foam, it also makes sense to manufacture it in several parts of the country.
That’s why Insulfoam, a division of Carlisle Construction Materials, plans to start manufacturing its products in western PA this summer. Production will take place in Smithfield in a facility that’s already used by another Carlisle Construction division, Hunter Panels. The new location about an hour’s drive south of Pittsburgh will be the only Insulfoam plant in the northeast. Once production starts, it will be much easier for Insulfoam to get its polystyrene products to the Midwest, New England and the mid-Atlantic.
“It’s so light and so bulky that we use the phrase ‘shipping air’ a lot,” Carlisle Construction spokesman Rob Reale says.
Insulfoam’s products are primarily used in construction, for purposes like roofing and wall insulation. It can also be found in hot tubs and under highway ramps. Reale says the material is eco-friendly because excess foam is recycled within the plant. It also plays a big role in reducing buildings’ energy use.
The Insulfoam facility in Smithfield is expected to be open this summer. The company will hire new workers, but Reale says it’s too early to say how many.
Source: Rob Reale, Carlisle Construction Materials
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen