Holcim Building Envelope’s Malarkey Roofing Products broke ground on its new manufacturing facility and warehouse in Franklin, Ind., about 20 miles south of Indianapolis, on Nov. 12, which Holcim first announced last April. 

According to the original plans, the 300,000-square-foot facility is set on a sprawling 135-acre campus, which includes the main production plant, warehouse and asphalt mixing buildings.

According to company and city officials, the company, which will produce rubberized asphalt shingles using recycled tires, plastic bags and other materials, aims to open the new facility in 2026 and anticipates creating more than 200 local jobs. The average starting wage will be $26.92, which is above the county average.

Malarkey Roofing recently received two 10-year real property and personal property tax abatements for the project, according to a report in the Daily Journal, an area newspaper that first reported on the financial incentives.

The groundbreaking was attended by Malarkey brass and a host of local luminaries, including city officials, employees of Malarkey Roofing and Franklin’s Mayor Steve Barnett; Dale Rushing, Malarkey’s president, expressed his gratitude to the attendees.

“In 2026, Malarkey will celebrate 70 years of making shingles, making roofing in this business … and so 2026 is when this plant will also be making shingles,” Rushing said. “So, you know, [it’s a] pretty big deal for us; we’ll start our next 70 years in Indiana.”

Barnett also spoke to the crowd, saying he “really appreciates” Malarkey Roofing: “The part I like about Malarkey, as you can tell, they’re down to earth,” he said, adding, “They’re a big company that’s down to earth, wants to employ I think you said around 200 people; they’re going to have jobs here, good paying jobs here.”