Province to blame for closure of Chatham roofing plant, MPP says

CHATHAM The provincial government is to blame for the loss of nearly 50 jobs at a plant that makes roofing products, Chatham’s MPP says.

Atlanta-based Boral Industries said Enviroshake Canada — Chatham-Kent’s 2017 company of the year — will close at the end of the year.

“Enviroshake will be moving some of their production to Michigan — a state with lower hydro rates and no cap-and-trade cash grab,” Rick Nicholls, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Chatham-Kent-Essex, said Sunday in a news release.

“Whether it’s burdensome red tape or unaffordable taxes, the Wynne Liberals have made our once great province uncompetitive.”

Marie Joseph, assistant general counsel for Boral Industries that owns Enviroshake, said some production will move to a plant in Metamora, Mich.

Enviroshake is one of Boral’s two composite roofing lines. Boral is dropping the Enviroshake line, Joseph said.

“Basically, Boral made the decision to consolidate the composite roofing into one brand and technology.”

The decision to close the Enviroshake plant isn’t a reflection of the workforce, Joseph said.

LOSS OF JOBS

“Basically, the employees haven’t done anything wrong.”

When asked about buyouts or the opportunity for employees to transfer to the Michigan plant, Joseph said, “Right now we’re just closing it (the manufacturing facility) and the employees are going to be terminated.”

The Enviroshake line includes lightweight durable roofing products made from recycled material. Manufacturing began in 2002 in the former Motor Wheel plant at Bloomfield Road and Riverview Drive. The product has been lauded for its use of recycled material and its ability to repel fire.

The news is surprising, considering Enviroshakes’s past success. The company was named industry of the year by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce in March, and last year there was talk of the company doubling its employee complement.

One Enviroshake employee said there was talk as recently as last Monday of installing new equipment at the Chatham plant.

“This really blindsided us,” another one said.

“What’s left in Chatham-Kent?” a third said. “You see the industry leaving, nothing coming back.”