Manufacturing News
November 8, 2026
November 8, 2026 · Statewide · Story 4 of 5
Fibrosan's Michigan Retrofit Pushes Back Elkhart RV Sidewall Supply
Fibrosan, the Elkhart-headquartered FRP supplier, filed a revised air permit Oct. 14 proposing a regenerative thermal oxidizer at its Cassopolis, Michigan plant after regulators logged 93 public comments over hazardous emissions, including the probable carcinogen styrene. The retrofit would cut hazardous air pollutants from roughly 96 tons to about 12 tons a year, and Michigan's environmental agency expects a permit decision by the end of November. Fibrosan also withdrew its roughly $12 million, 12-year local tax abatement request after the village council tabled it in September. The plant was built to supply RV sidewall panels to Elkhart customers faster and cheaper than the overseas suppliers currently filling that gap, and the permit fight, on top of the retrofit itself, pushes the original March 2027 opening back an estimated six to twelve months. That means Elkhart RV makers keep paying overseas shipping costs and absorbing longer lead times on FRP sidewall stock through at least another model year.
- Impact
- Fibrosan's Cassopolis plant was built to compete on lead time and landed cost against Stabilit America, the Tennessee-based incumbent supplier of RV sidewall FRP panels, by finally producing closer to its Elkhart customer base instead of shipping from overseas. The Rule 201 citation, RTO retrofit, and withdrawn abatement push the original March 2027 opening back by an estimated six to twelve months, meaning Elkhart-area RV OEMs keep absorbing overseas shipping costs and lead-time risk on FRP sidewall stock through at least another model year.
- Watch
- EGLE's permit decision, expected by the end of November 2026, and whether Fibrosan refiles for a village tax abatement once the permit is resolved.
- For the huddle
With Fibrosan's Michigan plant now running past its original March 2027 target, are we still budgeting RV sidewall sourcing on old overseas lead times, or should we be requalifying a domestic backup supplier now?
Michigan finished its first grant round in September with 11 suppliers splitting $21 million and locked EV startup Slate into its supplier network separately, so Indiana suppliers applying through Jan. 8 are chasing the same OEM sourcing cycle from behind, and the reimbursement structure means you need the cash on hand before any of it comes back.
Sources
- After outcry, Michigan fiberglass plant proposes pollution controls · mlive.com
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- Fibrosan's Michigan Retrofit Pushes Back Elkhart RV Sidewall Supply
- Penn State Researcher Flags a Labor Market Splitting in Two Directions at Once
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