Global Hybrid Roofing Solutions is targeting central Scotland for a £17m investment as part of an ambitious programme to build a series of new plants in the US and Europe to add to two existing facilities in the US.
Holding company Global Hybrid Solutions was established by a consortium of US and European entrepreneurs last year to exploit a burgeoning demand, fuelled by legislation, for building products
made from recycled materials.
It announced in mid-2008 that it had acquired from Titan Manufacturing the rights to make and market a line of innovative synthetic composite roofing, and forecast an investment of $50m (£32m) over the three years in global product development, by way of both manufacturing and licensing.
“The company produces innovative, environmentally friendly roofing products that are made from recycled material, fully recyclable and highly durable,” it said yesterday.
“With facilities in Iowa and Kentucky, its products are quickly becoming a standard in American construction. We are also one of few companies to have achieved rapid and substantial growth throughout the global economic recession.”
It says increasing international demand for its technologies has led to its plans for European expansion.
A report last year said the company had created only 26 jobs in its two US plants and that it would create six in a European facility. But a spokesman said yesterday that neither figure referred to new manufacturing, and that when “fully operational” each plant was capable of supporting 400 to 600 jobs directly and more in the supply chain. He said investment funds were available and that “just selling licences will self-fund us”.
Charles Faulkenberry, the company’s Delaware-based chief executive, told The Herald: “We continue to see customer interest from all over the world in these products. We have done our market research for the roofing materials and what gets us excited is that when people see this product they immediately fall in love with it and see the value as it compares to existing alternatives such as slates and tiles.”
Faulkenberry said the firm had been shipping products to Poland, and had now realised “everyone needs these materials in real time, so the best way to accomplish that is to make sure we have got facilities in regional locations”.
He added: “Whichever location we choose will benefit from many new jobs and a boost to its green credentials, thanks to the sustainable nature of our technologies. We are in discussions with numerous authorities in central Scotland and are hopeful that with the right action from all parties, a positive conclusion can be reached.”
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