WALLULA, WA (MARCH 7, 2024) – ROCKWOOL North America today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire 250 acres in Walla Walla County, Washington, with the intention to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility featuring proprietary electric melting technology for its stone wool insulation products.
The property is in the Wallula Gap Business Park, a 1,280-acre site zoned for heavy and mixed industrial use near the western boundary of Walla Walla County.
No construction timeline has been announced for the new facility, which would be ROCKWOOL’s fifth North American manufacturing facility and would support growing demand for the company’s products in the western United States.
“ROCKWOOL has operated in North America for more than 30 years. We are excited to take this first step toward establishing ourselves in the Mid-Columbia region and growing our stone wool production capacity to better serve customers in the western United States,” said Rory Moss, President of ROCKWOOL North America. “We look forward to engaging with the local communities and sharing more as plans develop.”
“The Port of Walla Walla is very excited about this economic development project in our region,” said Port of Walla Walla Commissioner President Kip Kelly. “A responsible manufacturer like ROCKWOOL would be a benefit to our local economy and a pillar of sustainable industry. The ROCKWOOL project will also be a transformative project for the Port’s Wallula Gap Business Park, and we are confident that it will not only drive future economic growth but also further enhance the economic health of Walla Walla County.”
The Wallula Gap Business Park is the largest of nine business parks managed by the Port of Walla Walla. It was one of six sites selected in 2023 by the Washington State Department of Commerce to split $2.5 million in grants aimed at attracting and expanding manufacturing activity in the state.1
“We're pleased to welcome ROCKWOOL to Washington," said Washington State Department of Commerce Director Mike Fong. "This aligns with our economic priorities, ensures job creation and emphasizes our commitment to sustainability. We are excited to be part of ROCKWOOL’s expansion strategy.”
Meet ROCKWOOL: Community Open Houses
To introduce ROCKWOOL locally, the company will host open houses in Burbank and Walla Walla next month where community members can meet ROCKWOOL leaders and learn about ROCKWOOL’s products and manufacturing processes as well as its commitment to the wellbeing, environmental stewardship, and economic prosperity of the communities in which it operates.
April 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Walla Walla County Fire District 5
460 W. Humorist Rd.
Burbank, WA 99323
April 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Walla Walla Regional Airport Terminal Building – Conference Room
45 Terminal Loop
Walla Walla, WA 99362
ROCKWOOL’s stone wool is manufactured from volcanic rock and has many inherent strengths that make it ideal for use in a range of insulation, acoustic, design, and other applications in buildings, industry, transportation, horticulture, and water management. It is also fully recyclable and sustainable. The stone wool building insulation ROCKWOOL sold last year will over its lifetime save 100 times the energy consumed and carbon dioxide emitted during its production.
1 https://www.commerce.wa.gov/news/commerce-invests-2-5-million-to-accelerate-development-of-six-rural-industrial-sites/