GAF in partnership with the City of Valdosta, Ga., celebrated the opening of the new GAF Valdosta thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) commercial roofing plant with a ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday, May 6.
The celebratory event featured remarks from local city officials and GAF, demonstrations of the products produced at the new facility, and tours of the new plant. Attendees included Scott Matheson, mayor of Valdosta; John Altmeyer, CEO of GAF; John Barkhouse, president of GAF; Daniel Duston, GAF-Valdosta plant manager; local and state officials; and certified contractors from the region.
“Our community was greatly impacted by Hurricane Idalia, but we saw this neighborhood rally together and help one another,” said Duston. “We were proud to support this city during that time and look forward to continuing to do so in the future as members of the community.”
The site has been fully up and running since September 2024, but the celebration was delayed due to Hurricane Idalia. As part of the celebration, the company announced the donation of TPO roofing material for the new Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station, which will serve as a regional hub for art and STEAM activities for youth.
“The Turner Center for the Arts is grateful to be a recipient of the support and generosity of GAF …,” said Sementha Mathews, Ph.D., executive director of the center. “The new roof for the Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station is a testament of this company’s dedication to Valdosta, Lowndes County’s youth and their families, and a guarantee of their friendship with our center and this community for decades to come.”
“Whether it was donating to local organizations, handing out food during hurricane relief efforts, or building roofs, GAF has been rolling up their sleeves and supporting Lowndes County since the moment they got here,” said Matheson. “GAF is the blueprint for community partnerships and we love having them in Valdosta–we hope to have them for 100 years.”
The state-of-the-art 39,484 m2 (425,000-sf) facility has brought more than 130 advanced manufacturing, logistics, and engineering jobs to Lowndes County. The Valdosta plant is the company’s fifth TPO facility and adds to the company’s existing Georgia operations in Savannah, Statesboro, and Cumming.
