U.S. Gypsum Co. has announced plans to build a gypsum panel manufacturing plant in Washingtonville, Pa. The facility, valued at approximately $180 million, will enable the company to maintain pace with customer demand for wallboard products in the Northeast U.S.

Located in the north central part of the state, the plant is designed to operate the world's largest wallboard manufacturing line, with the capacity to produce approximately one billion square feet of Sheetrock brand wallboard annually. The facility will be built on a 186-acre site and initially employ about 150 people. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2006, with completion set for the first half of 2008.