Semperit christens new seals factory in Georgia

NEWNAN, Ga.—Semperit A.G. Holding officials decided two years ago to invest almost $10 million to begin manufacturing products in the U.S. Doing so would expand the company's presence in both North and South America and fulfill its commitment to improving its proximity to customers in the process.

After a year of scouting potential sites, the company settled on leasing a facility in Newnan, one constructed to Semperit's specifications. The new factory is located just south of Atlanta.

Semperit since has relocated its North American headquarters, warehouse and distribution center operation from Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Newnan location.

Vienna, Austria-based Semperit opened the facility a few months ago, fulfilling the firm's long-term plan to expand its reach in the Americas.

However, the company's official opening ceremony at the new facility was delayed until June 9 because of COVID-related issues.

The newest factory spans close to 151,000 square feet and is supplied entirely by renewable energy sources, which the company said is in line with Semperit Group's goals of protecting the environment, reducing waste and cutting down on energy consumption.

The company now has a work force of about 70 at the Newnan site, a spokeswoman said.

Housed in the new facility are administrative offices; the manufacturing department with production lines for sealing components, including building facade seals, window gasket, and road and bridge expansion joints; and the distribution department with space for a full range of sealants, conveyor belts and hose products.

"Fully confident that investing in the ongoing growth of the Semperit Group within the world's biggest economic region will be critical to our future success, we are being driven by a market-led approach, focusing more on practical applications, and speeding up our product development processes," CEO Karl Haider said at the opening ceremony.

In addition to boosting growth in North and South America, he indicated that the company's growing manufacturing presence in the U.S. will help it gain greater traction in the industrial product sector, the company's prime focus.

Semperit also has a medical goods business, with emphasis on the production of various types of rubber gloves, that has been very profitable throughout the pandemic. But the firm's goal is to eventually sell that business in order to totally concentrate on the industrial side.

The company has operated a distribution center in the region for almost 40 years and, because of that, has steadily recorded solid growth in North and South America in recent years, the firm said.

"The new headquarters and production site will boost the efficiency of our operations once again, allowing us to manage our supply chains and logistics more effectively," said Irene Coughlin, managing director of the Americas operation.

She noted that it also will "tighten up our communications at the regional level."

While the Newnan plant will focus primarily on the manufacturing of sealant components, the facility's warehouse and distribution center will continue to stock hose, belts and other products.

Conveyor belts are manufactured at the firm's plant in Poland while hoses for the North American market are produced at factories in Austria, Thailand and the Czech Republic, the spokeswoman said. They are then shipped to the warehouse in Newnan for distribution to companies in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

She noted that "we are convinced that our strengthened regional focus, plus headquarters establishment, in combination with a new manufacturing footprint, will strongly support (us) in meeting our customer requirements while allowing us to service customers faster and more efficiently."