Construction of a $175 million insulation manufacturing plant planned at Wallula Gap is on the horizon and the company behind it is seeing strong interest from contractors wanting to help build it.

Rockwool continues to grade the site ahead of construction, though a general contractor for the project hasn’t been selected yet, Paul Espinosa, the company’s public affairs director, recently told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

“We’re hopeful we can begin construction in the third quarter of this year,” he said.

But the company still expects to rely heavily on the local construction workforce. The company’s owner representative, PCL Construction, recently held informational sessions and one-on-one meetings with contractors interested in helping build the facility and the response was so strong that additional virtual or in-person sessions were a possibility.

“Our goal is to utilize as many local contractors from the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla as possible,” Espinosa said.

Rockwool is a Danish company that makes stone wool insulation from volcanic rock using a proprietary electric melting process. The environmentally-friendly material is used in commercial, residential and industrial settings, the company has said.

Rockwool North America announced a year ago that it had signed a deal with the Port of Walla Walla for 250 acres at its Wallula Gap Business Park on Highway 12 for $8.75 million. It held open houses for communities that will be near the site in April 2024 to answer questions and address any concerns.

“There were a lot of people then asking if we were hiring,” Espinosa said.

Espinosa said construction is expected to take two years once it begins and the project is expected to generate more than 600 jobs.

Once operational, the plant itself will employ 125 people, many of whom the company intends to hire locally.

The company will likely hire the plant’s director of operations this year, Espinosa said. That individual will then begin building their management team ahead of hiring for the plant’s workforce.