Saint-Gobain North America has announced the commencement of construction on an expansion project at its Williamsport facility in Maryland, US.

The announcement was made through its building products subsidiary CertainTeed Siding.

The $28m expansion of the CertainTeed Siding facility is expected to boost the building's manufacturing and shipping capacity, as well as increase overall storage space with new training and office spaces.

The establishment of a single centralised distribution platform for all of CertainTeed Siding's products is intended to improve the consumer experience.

This centralised model will allow the company to deliver a single truckload order containing several CertainTeed products instead of many deliveries. The additional storage capacity meanwhile, will allow the company to expand its product options in the region.

CertainTeed Siding Products Group vice-president and general manager Joe Bondi said: “By continuing to invest in the capabilities, capacity and additional warehouse space in our Williamsport facility, we reinforce our commitment to the Williamsport community, our colleagues at the site and to providing a best-in-class experience for customers in our largest regional market.”

With sustainability as a key priority, the expansion project will be undertaken in line with Saint-Gobain’s goal of 2050 carbon neutrality.

Consequently, the development will see the installation of new, energy-saving measures such as LED lighting and high-efficiency dock doors to avoid heat leakage.

Furthermore, all heating, ventilation, and air conditioning appliances at the site will be electric, with no natural gas utilised.

Upon completion, the centralised location for product storage will eliminate the need for product transfer to off-site storage, resulting in less scope 3 transportation emissions.