Nixon visits Moberly, announces new manufacturing plant

In a visit to Moberly Tuesday afternoon, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Moberly officials made an announcement that 125 jobs will be created in the Randolph County city in the coming couple of years.

GAF Materials Corporation will build a plant near the old Mamtek site, about 1/4 mile from the USDA building in Moberly.

The New Jersey-based company has been in business since 1886, and is the country’s largest manufacturer of commercial and residential roofing.

The Moberly plant will be the largest shingle plant in the roofing industry, according to GAF President and CEO Bob Tafaro.

“The economy is moving forward in our state; these kinds of investments are rare … It’s a good sign when the number one maker of a product chooses here,” said Nixon.

Nixon said the investment is $148 million for a 320,000 square foot facility able to serve 200,000 homes.

“This is a winner. We can look back and learn from things that happened but I’ve been looking to the future and this is our future,” said Moberly mayor John Kimmons.

The plant will take over a year to build.