As assembly lines clanked inside Saint-Gobain’s factory in Social Circle, the CEO of the France-based company that makes housing construction materials recently strolled through and spelled out what’s driving his company’s expansion in Georgia.
“We are investing in our capacity here because the market is growing,” said Benoit Bazin, CEO of Saint-Gobain. “Where we think the population growth is going to be, that is where we are going to invest.”
In this massive plant, walking distance from the town center of Social Circle, Saint-Gobain is making various kinds of siding and corners that are placed within homes as part of construction or renovation. Last year the company expanded its presence in Social Circle, which is about 45 miles east of Atlanta, with the opening of a new interior products facility.
On a recent October morning, workers were training on a new assembly line, put together in Oregon and shipped to Georgia.
The company has also investedmore than $100 million on an expansion of a plant in Peachtree City, done a $28 million investment at its facility in Dublin and built a new factory in Conyers, in addition to facilities in Norcross and Athens.