Paris-based Saint-Gobain has put a planned $41.5 million expansion into its Wheatfield facility on hold.
Niagara County Economic Development Executive Director Andrea Klycek said the decision was due to market conditions and significant infrastructure upgrades on site that need to take precedence. Statements provided to the Buffalo News and Business First also cited “unpredictable market dynamics in the petrochemical industry” as a reason for the pause, likely due to the U.S. war with Iran.
“They don’t know if that project would be coming back,” Klycek said during this month’s Niagara County Industrial Development Agency board meeting. The company said it would re-evaluate its position in early 2027, with demotion and remediation work reportedly complete at the 6600 Walmore Road facility.
The company had applied for $7.27 million in tax incentives from the county agency in February 2025, but no approvals were given since the Town of Wheatfield has not finished its environmental review for the site.
Saint-Gobain’s expansion, done through its NorPro subsidiary, would be for manufacturing catalytic carriers in a 345-foot by 246-foot building. NorPro’s director of manufacturing, Edouard Brunet, previously told the Gazette these carriers are used in the petrochemical industry to promote chemical reactions for increasing yield and efficiency, similar to those used to make cars work.
This would be the Paris-based company’s second North American facility that would manufacture these catalytic products, after Bryan, Texas. The existing 625,372 square foot Wheatfield site, part of the specialty grains and powders operations, manufactures synthetic abrasives like sandpaper and grinding wheels.
The expansion would create 30 new jobs and retain 63 jobs, with enough room to add another expansion of 300,000 square feet later on.
Saint-Gobain has also received a $1 million New York Excelsior Jobs grant for this and a 2,060-kilowatt allocation of low-cost hydropower from the New York Power Authority.