WAYNE, N.J. – February 4, 2010 -- GAF Materials Corporation announced that it will invest in a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to produce asphalt shingles for customers in the U.S. Southeast regional market.

The site selection process is in progress, with the company currently studying potential sites in Tennessee, South Carolina and neighboring states. "The new facility will provide residential roofing material to the strategically important and growing Southeastern U.S. market and should help assure our customers of even better supply now and in the future," said Dick Nowak, Chief Operating Officer at GAF.  Once a site is selected, GAF expects to start product production within 18 months.

To ensure a quick start up, the new plant will combine state-of-the-art equipment relocated from the former GAF plant in Quakertown, Penn., with the advanced production equipment.   “As we look at the roofing market for the next decade, it is obvious that customers will demand that more of their product is made on newer and better production equipment," Nowak said. "This new plant will mean that more of our product is made in the most modern facilities.”

GAF President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Tafaro said, “Construction of the industry’s newest residential roofing manufacturing facility positions GAF well for strong future growth and enables us to continue to meet customer demand for superior products backed by North America’s largest manufacturer of roofing material."