Fielder’s Choice

I spent time last week on the phone and via e-mail talking with representatives of Roxul and Rockfon.

They were updating me on their operations in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park. Roxul opened in 2014. Rockfon is under con­struction and should open later this year.

If all goes as planned, the story will run in the newspaper’s upcoming Pro­file Edition on March 9.

Roxul is the North American division of Denmark-based Rockwool International, the world’s leading producer of stone wool. Rockfon, an affiliate of Roxul, will manufacture ceiling tiles.

Both are part of an exploding economic develop­ment area in the north­western portion of Marshall County.

And Roxul’s selection of Marshall County a few years back played a huge role in sparking the growth and progress in that end of our county.

“This is truly a historic occasion for Roxul,” Roxul President Trent Ogilvie said during the grand opening in September 2014. “When conducting our site selection due diligence, it was clear that the state of Mississippi and Marshall County provided us the optimal location from both a manufacturing and distribution standpoint. The support Roxul has received from the community and the state has been terrific. We couldn’t have found a better place to call home.”

We talked more last week about Roxul’s selection of Mississippi and Marshall County.

Are they happy with the choice? Yes, very much so.

And that is primarily why they are growing their operations here with the addition of Rockfon.

“The investment in this new facility demonstrates the strong commitment of our company to support the North American market, and of the State of Mississippi and Marshall County to support economic development in the area,” said John Medio, the Rockfon managing director for North America, during a groundbreaking in March 2016.

Marshall County con­tinues to be at the top of the radar when it comes to economic development. Lots of people can be praised for that accomplishment but this isn’t about any individual. This can be attributed to teamwork. That’s a proven winner on the athletic field and in economic develop­ment – working together.

In a recent interview with Sen. Bill Stone of Holly Springs, he mentioned Marshall County’s strong presence when industrial growth is talked about at the state capitol.

“You do not talk about economic development in Mississippi right now without Marshall Coun­ty being mentioned,” Stone said.

There are a lot of other good things happening, too, not just at Chickasaw Trail. Industries countywide are doing well, hiring additional personnel, growing and giving back to our community. A new industrial park is in the works just off I-22 near Holly Springs.

There are a lot of positives taking place right now in our county. Here’s hoping the momentum keeps building.