Viracon to invest $30 million in new coater at Owatonna facility

Viracon, Inc.officialsannounced that the glass fabricator will make an investment of more than $30 million at its Owatonna, Minn., facility, to install a new coater. The company decided to install the new coating technology in Minnesota because the Owatonna facility is centrally located and has the most extensive product capabilities and technical talent, according to a release. Support from the city, county and state was also a pivotal factor in the location decision, officials said.

“Viracon is the only North American architectural glass fabricator focused on commercial buildings with its own coating capabilities,” said Kelly Schuller, Viracon president, in the release. “Our coatings are a key underpinning of our competitive differentiation, and the new coater will have many new capabilities and features that will ensure Viracon remains at the forefront of architectural coating technology."

Schuller said the project is expected to get underway in April 2013, when site work will begin to make way for a building addition to house the new coater. It is anticipated that the new coater will begin delivering product by late summer 2014.