Drywall maker begins work on $210M facility in Alberta

Key Takeaways:

• The $210 million facility will deliver CGC’s Sheetrock brand wallboard to residential and commercial customers across Western Canada.
• The contract for the construction of CGC’s Wheatland County plant was awarded to Ledcor earlier this year. 
• CGC’s target is that the construction phase will conclude in 2026 and is preparing for plant recruitment and hiring starting in mid-2025.

The Whole Story:

CGC Inc., the Canadian division of USG Corporation, announced that construction of its new manufacturing plant in Wheatland County, Alta., is officially underway. CGC says the $210 million facility will deliver its Sheetrock brand wallboard to residential and commercial customers across Western Canada faster, more sustainably, and more reliably than ever.

The 220,000 square foot facility, situated on 214 acres of land north-west of Carseland, Alta., will create more than 200 jobs during the construction phase and more than 100 permanent, full-time manufacturing jobs once plant construction is completed. 

Designed to be the most eco-friendly plant CGC has ever constructed, the plant will feature state-of-the-art innovations that enable efficient wallboard production with minimal water usage, energy consumption, and physical waste. CGC is also building a solar field onsite to generate clean electricity for the plant.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a significant win for CGC operations in Western Canada and for our ambitious growth plans in Canada more broadly,” said Chris Griffin, CEO of USG Corporation. “This project underscores our commitment to being the best wallboard manufacturer to do business with, particularly as builders, governments and communities across Alberta and the West work to expand housing starts, accessibility and affordability.”

CGC first announced its Wheatland County plant investment in July 2022 alongside partners from Wheatland County, the Alberta Government, Siksika First Nation and Invest Alberta. 

“This was a true team effort and we would not be here without the support of Reeve Amber Link, the Alberta Government and Invest Alberta, the Siksika First Nation, and many others,” Griffin said. 

Matt Jones, Alberta minister of jobs, economy and trade explained the investment is helping to diversify rural Alberta and create good jobs.

“This state-of-the-art wallboard manufacturing facility has helped to expand the manufacturing sector in our province and will ensure residential, commercial, industrial and institutional sectors can get the wall products they need to get their projects built in Alberta and across the country,” said Jones. “I want to thank CGC for choosing Alberta for this important investment and for contributing to the vibrancy and resiliency of our economy.”

The contract for the construction of CGC’s Wheatland County plant was awarded to Ledcor earlier this year. CGC’s target is that the construction phase will conclude in 2026 and is preparing for plant recruitment and hiring starting in mid-2025.

Currently, CGC’s drywall is shipped to Western Canada from CGC manufacturing facilities in Ontario and Quebec. The new Wheatland County plant is at the centre of CGC’s strategy to streamline its supply chain, making it more reliable, accessible and sustainable. Moreover, CGC says the plant will help meet increasing demand for CGC products across Canada’s Western provinces with the need for new homes at an all-time high. Roughly one out of every two houses in Canada currently contain CGC products.