Future Of Rockwool’s Newest Jefferson County Property Remains Undecided

ROCKWOOL, a stone wool and insulation manufacturer, recently expanded its presence in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle with the purchase of 58.25 more acres of land. But the company has not yet decided how it will use the site.

The Denmark-based company already operates on the outskirts of Ranson, a city in Jefferson County. On Dec. 30, ROCKWOOL bought a plot of land adjoining its original property to the east.

In an email to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Paul Espinosa, a public affairs manager for ROCKWOOL, said the company still has “no plans for the property.”

The property was previously operated by Jefferson Orchards, a local apple grower. But the orchard agreed to sell the property to ROCKWOOL in a 2017 purchase agreement, and the Ranson Town Council rezoned the site from rural to industrial use last July.

Some residents who worry about the rate of local development, as well as the environmental impact of ROCKWOOL’s operations in West Virginia, previously spoke out against the property’s rezoning and purchase.

ROCKWOOL’s presence in Jefferson County has troubled residents for years, dating back to its initial announcement in 2017. Many residents have expressed concern over the manufacturing site’s impact on local air and water quality.

The company at large was placed under review by a Danish regulatory agency in 2020 over its corporate and environmental operations.

Espinosa said ROCKWOOL makes land purchase decisions “based on a number of factors including demand and anticipated future valuations.”

“Based on current real estate market conditions, ROCKWOOL availed itself of the opportunity to acquire additional acreage from Jefferson Orchards on competitive terms,” he wrote.

The company would be required to obtain county approval on any plants to develop the site.