Atlas Roofing Corporation, one of North America’s leading manufacturers of building products, announced last week it plans to build a new shingle manufacturing facility in Clinton, Iowa, a town of around 25,000 people situated on the banks of the Mississippi River 40 miles north of Davenport. 

The plant, which Atlas said plans to break ground later this year, represents a $200 million investment in the town, according to a news release by the company, with construction taking around two years, according to a report in the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal.

A hardscrabble town gets a $200 million boost and more than 100 potential jobs.

Atlas representatives say the facility represents “the next phase of a vision to empower its people to create solutions and products with purpose,” and will create additional shingle capacity in a geographically strategic location to best serve its customers.

“We are thrilled to announce that we will be working together with the great people of Clinton, Iowa, to continue our growth in the steep slope roofing category,” Ken Farrish, president of Atlas Roofing Corporation, said in a statement. “Clinton will help us meet customer demand with this investment in capacity in the Midwest, but we are equally excited to bring more than 100 new full-time jobs to the region.”

Plans for the design of the 440,000-square-foot plant include a focus on safety, quality and innovation, the Atlas statement read, in part. The plant will be located in the Lincolnway Industrial Rail & Air Park, buoyed by a $750,000 forgivable loan awarded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

“Safety and quality are the core of our mission at Atlas,” said Brad Parten, vice president of operations, “as it ensures that the needs of both our employees and our customers are central to our planning and decision-making processes.”

The company says the state-of-the-art plant will allow it to address the growing demand for Atlas’ Core4 Technology shingles, designed for high-impact weather events. Additionally, the plant will produce several of Atlas’ accessory underlayments and other proprietary roof system components, including its shingles featuring 3M Scotchgard Protector.

“Atlas is committed to bolstering our capacity to support our customer base across the country and this investment in Clinton meets that commitment head on,” said Stanley Bastek, vice president of sales and marketing for the Atlas Shingles and Underlayment Division. “This new manufacturing facility will result in service level improvements that increase access to Atlas shingles and system components across the country.”

The city of Clinton, which sits along the banks of the Mississippi across from East Clinton, Ill., enthusiastically welcomed news of the multi-million-dollar investment. The small city has a poverty rate hovering around 20%, with a median household income of less than $50,000. 

“We welcome Atlas and are excited to have their company establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Lincolnway Industrial Rail & Air Park.” said Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion, who expressed gratitude to the company in a statement. “The City of Clinton continues to be a magnet for innovative and competitive companies like Atlas.”

This announcement follows the building product manufacturer’s celebrating 40 years in the asphalt roofing industry. Atlanta-based Atlas Roofing, a privately held concern, opened its first asphalt shingle manufacturing facility in 1982.

It has since become one of North America’s top five manufacturers of roof shingles and related products, with 33 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.