19 March 1998: The US operation Apogee Enterprises, Inc. announced that it has chosen Statesboro, Georgia, as the site for a new glass fabricating facility for Viracon, a producer of high-performance …
19 March 1998: The US operation Apogee Enterprises, Inc. announced that it has chosen Statesboro, Georgia, as the site for a new glass fabricating facility for Viracon, a producer of high-performance architectural glass. Apogee said it plans to invest US$ 35 million in the new facility over the next two to three years. During that time, the Statesboro facility will add 60% more capacity over and above what Viracon“s Owatonna facility already produces. Russell Huffer, Apogee“s president and CEO, said, “The Statesboro facility will increase our ability to meet customer demand for existing products, expand our potential to enter new markets, and its southeast US location will substantially reduce our freight costs to roughly half of the US and a number of key international markets. This new facility is a clear win-win for Viracon and its customers.” Viracon based in Owatonna, Minnesota, plans to start off on the new 325,000 square foot facility in April. The company expects to begin full production processes, similar to the Owatonna facility, by mid-1999. Apogee has reportedly secured 50 acres in the Gateway Industrial Park in anticipation of future expansion plans. Viracon is expected to initially employ 200 people at the Statesboro facility. Viracon is an international company of the Glass Technologies Division of Apogee Enterprises, Inc.