Innovative $300M+ insulation plant digging in near Tri-Cities
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- Rockwool broke ground on a $300M-plus Wallula Gap plant to expand West.
- Plant will draw 210,000 MWh annually from Washington clean power sources.
- Site targets 175 jobs and regional basalt supply for production by 2028.
It takes a lot of power to melt crushed basalt to a lava-like consistency, then spin it like cotton candy to create insulation for buildings.
Specifically, it takes enough power to light up a smallish city.
So it’s no accident that Rockwool North America chose the Port of Walla Walla’s Wallula Gap Business Park as it expands production to serve the Western U.S.
The Danish insulation manufacturer broke ground on its $300+ million plant a year ago.
After a year of moving vast amounts of earth around to prepare the site for buildings, it will soon pour footings and begin erecting walls – insulated with Rockwool products, of course.
It took five years to reach this milestone. Rockwool plans a ribbon cutting to mark the start of construction at 11 a.m., April 29, at the site.
Jørgen Amtoft, director of operations, said Washington state’s commitment to clean electricity secured the deal. Rockwool powers melters in Mississippi and West Virginia with natural gas. In Washington, Pacific Power will feed the 210,000 MWh annually needed.
Amtoft along with Paul Espinosa, Rockwool’s lead spokesman, are marking the turning point when site preparation gives way to construction by taking visitors on tours of the site. They’re even escorting fire and other officials to West Virginia to show a facility in action
The plant being built in Wallula will employ 175 and is expected to begin producing rock-based insulation products in 2028.
WA clean energy
Green energy was just one of the reasons Rockwool chose Washington, said Arntoft, a Danish-born Rockwool executive who has built plants all over the world.
Amtoft said Highway 12 offers ready access to the markets Rockwool is targeting as it expands West — Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, Alaska and beyond.
The company is excited about the availability of labor and an army of subcontractors it needs in both Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities. Fowler Construction will construct its buildings.
Amtoft said Wallula Gap is literally picture-perfect. Rockwool’s property overlooks the Columbia River and the iconic Wallula Gap.
During a recent tour, rain largely obscured the view, but Amtoft marveled at the natural beauty of the area anyway.
He posted a photo of the picturesque scene on his LinkedIn page. That’s the above-ground view. Below the surface is even better.
Ancient lava flows coated Eastern Washington with a thick layer of basalt, the exact rock Rockwool uses to produce insulation. Regional quarries will deliver custom crushed basalt to the plant.
“This is our raw materials” Amtoft said, smiling as he stamped his feet on raw ground.
Amtoft said the company will source 90% of its source materials from Washington.
Mega industry
Rockwool is the first in what promises to be an important series of megasized industrial operations set to open at Wallula Gap Business Park in coming years..
The Port of Walla Walla established 1,900-acre the site to attract heavy industry to the area, taking advantage of its access to Highway 12, Union Pacific Railroad and proximity to the Tri-Cities.
The park is neighbors to Packaging Corporation of America, Tyson Foods, Northwest Wine Services and Tri-Cities Inermodal. It is about 10 miles southeast of Pasco and 10 miles north of the Oregon border.
It is one only three places in Washington state where developers can buy 50 or more acres for industrial development.
Rockwool’s future neighbors include a datacenter complex and a sustainable aviation fuel plant.
Amazon Web Services recently bought more than 500 acres near Rockwool for a future datacenter complex.
Last week, Walla Walla port officials confirmed their $34 million deal with the company that previously hid behind the alias “Advance Phase” had closed.
Amazon is expected to invest $5 billion to construct 16 datacenters to support its AI efforts.
The port has another deal with SkyNRG, which plans to produce sustainable aviation fuel at Wallula Gap in partnership with the Boeing Co. and other aviation operators. Its plant will cost about $1 billion. A third prospect, to build a battery plant has reportedly fallen through.
The ongoing deals represent nearly $8 billion in investment and the potential for creating several thousand jobs.
Rockwool was first
Rockwool, however, was first to buy land and is first to break ground.
It purchased 250 acres. It is using about 90 acres in the first phase for a 2.7 million-square-foot complex. It has ample room to expand in the future, according to Amtoft and Espinosa said.
At full operation, Rockwool will accept crushed basalt, screen it and melt it in the electronic melter.
The lavalike material is spun like a fiber and blended with a glue like substance to achieve the right consistency. The webbed product is formed into bats and dried in a natural gas-fired kiln before being trimmed, packaged and sent off by truck or rail.
Rockwool markets its product as inert, resistant to moisture and fire. It is used in residential, commercial and industrial development and can be remelted at the end of its lifespan.
Its products are available through building suppliers and even retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.
It has been used at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Empire State Building in New York and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Rockwool is a $4 billion manufacturer with a U.S. base in Kearneyville, W.Va. It is an arm of Rockwool Group, based in Denmark and has 45 factories worldwide.
Wallula Gap will be its fifth in North America.