Peru GAF facility bringing more than 70 jobs nears completion

The GAF facility in northern Peru is nearing completion and is expected to be at full production this year, a company spokesperson said.

“As with any manufacturing operation, there will be production tests that are done before full production commences, and that phase will begin in the coming weeks,” a GAF spokesperson said. “Full production is expected this year.”

The plant is located north of Interstate 80 and west of Plank Road on the OmniTRAX rail line. The 450,000-square-foot facility will manufacture GAF’s EnergyGuard line of polyisocyanurate (polyiso) insulation products, making it GAF’s fifth polyisocyanurate (polyiso) insulation manufacturing plant.

Polyiso is an insulation solution used in roofs and walls, according to a news release from GAF. It is considered to be sustainable and is used in green building projects.

A GAF spokesperson said dozens of members of the greater Peru community have been hired to date for advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs, with a minimum starting hourly wage of $26 an hour.

“Once at full production, GAF expects to bring a total of more than 70 jobs to the Peru community through this new plant,” the spokesperson said.

Peru Mayor Ken Kolowski said the economic impact GAF will have on not only Peru but also the surrounding communities is immeasurable.

The city put together an economic development incentive package for the company, including extending water and sewer utilities, constructing a road, repaving an existing road, adopting a tax increment financing district and selling parcels of land it acquires to a roofing materials manufacturer.

“It’s going to bring in millions of dollars in revenue for the city in the future,” Kolowski said, “so many jobs, restaurants, gas stations [and] housing. It’s not just good for Peru but for the entire region.”

For information about the company, visit GAF.com/Careers.