Calgary geomembrane plant shuttered (March 03, 2003)

Gundle/SLT Environmental Inc. is shutting down its Calgary-based geomembrane manufacturing operation, GSE Lining Technology Ltd. According to a spokesperson at the plant, the facility will effectively close its doors March 1, 2003. Manufacturing operations have been shut down since Dec. 31, 2002, and the majority of the plant’s equipment, including the facility’s geomembrane blown-film extrusion line, have been transferred to the parent company’s main manufacturing plant in Houston, TX.
The plant, formerly operated by Columbia Geosystems Ltd., was purchased by GSE in February 2002. GSE is a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc. Executives at GSE’s Houston office declined to comment on the plant closing, however a former manager at the Calgary plant said the decision "came out of the blue". The plant’s 30 employees were told the action was taken to reduce costs.
"We were a low-cost, profitable operation," said the former employee. "Our quality was top in the industry."
The former manager said the plant closing will leave GSE without a presence in the Canadian dealer network for geomembrane. Groupe Solmax Inc., located in Varennes, QC, is now the only company in Canada manufacturing geomembrane.