James Hardie says it is “taking steps to optimize its manufacturing footprint.” As part of these actions:
- The company’s manufacturing facilities in Fontana, California, and Summerville, South Carolina, will close within the next 60 days. (A WARN notice filed with the state of South Carolina shows a “permanent closure” date of March 16, 2026, affecting 78 employees.)
- The sites’ manufacturing operations, which represent approximately 6% of the company’s year-to-date North American volume, will be absorbed by other facilities.
The company says its Fontana site’s Innovation and Research & Development functions will remain in operation.
Aaron Erter, Chief Executive Officer, explained the moves:
“During the past several years, James Hardie has made significant investments in modernizing our manufacturing facilities to improve efficiency, support our material conversion opportunities, and to better serve our customers. Following a comprehensive review of our manufacturing network, we have decided to transfer more production volume to our modern, advanced plants. These actions will further improve our cost structure, increase productivity, and reinforce the Hardie Operating System, while ensuring we have the capacity needed to support our growth initiatives. Our focus remains on driving sustainable growth and value creation over the long term.”…