Saint-Gobain to build $100 million expansion in county

With a standing-room-only crowd in attendance, local and state leaders announced Wednesday that Saline County soon will be home to a $100-million plant expansion that will create up to 140 new jobs initially and spur numerous additional employment in related construction jobs.
The announcement concerning Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest suppliers of innovative ceramic products, was made at the Bauxite Community Center as a symbol of the area’s significant contribution to industry in Saline County.
The plant, to be located on Cyanamid Road in Saline County, is not within the boundaries of any municipality in the county. Around three years ago, as annexation agreements were being worked out among leaders of Benton, Bauxite and Bryant, all agreed to allow Saint-Gobain to remain in the county.
Former state Sen. Shane Broadway, who has headed the Saline County Economic Development Corp., said this created significant savings for the company and was a factor in leading the company to decide to expand its operations here.
The SCEDC pursued this issue and ultimately was instrumental in securing the plant expansion.
Speaking during the ceremony at the Bauxite center were Gov. Mike Beebe and Antonio Vilela, vice president and general manager of Saint-Gobain NorPro.
In attendance were Arkansas Economic Development Commission representatives. The agency worked closely with Saint-Gobain and the SCEDC to bring the project to Saline County.
Broadway served as emcee for the event and noted in particular that the audience included the senior class of Bauxite High School.
“We wanted them to be a part of this historical day in Saline County,” he said.
Broadway also recognized Eddie Black and Paul Doramus, who were economic development consultants for the effort, and Haskell Dickinson for his family’s many contributions to Saline County. He introduced local mayors, county officials, state Reps. Ann Clemmer, David Sanders, Andy Mayberry and representatives of other state offices, as well as Congressman Tim Griffin.
He also pointed out that leaders of Pulaski Technical College and University of Arkansas at Little Rock — Dr. Dan Bakke and Dr. Andy Covington, respectively — were present and commended the two institutions for helping to produce the kind of workforce that impresses companies like Saint-Gobain.
“I’ll be the first to tell you that this project is the result of a team effort,” Broadway said.
The new plant will manufacture ceramic proppants, which are spherical beads about the size of a grain of sand, that maintain integrity under extreme pressure. Proppants are inserted into underground fractures in oil and gas wells to “prop” open the fracture and increase productivity of the wells.
Saint-Gobain’s Proppants division already operates two manufacturing facilities in Arkansas.  One is a proppants manufacturing facility in Fort Smith — which was the world’s first ceramic production plant, and which recently completed a $15 million expansion. The other is the Saint-Gobain proppants facility in Saline County, which supplies materials used in the proppant manufacturing process.
Broadway said the proppants to be made here will be distributed in other areas and will not be used in operations in Arkansas. “The Fayetteville shale currently uses sand rather than proppants,” he said. “The wells are not deep enough for proppants and most of the locally produced ones will be shipped to other gas and oil destinations.”
Gov. Beebe congratulated area leaders for their diligence and work in bringing the Saint-Gobain plant project to this area.


Source: The Saline Courier 


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