Owens Corning optimistic about housing market

3/25/2013
BLADE STAFF
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    Mike Thaman gives an upbeat assessment of the direction of the housing market to the Toledo Rotary Club.

    The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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    • Mike Thaman gives an upbeat assessment of the direction of the housing market to the Toledo Rotary Club.
    Mike Thaman gives an upbeat assessment of the direction of the housing market to the Toledo Rotary Club.

    Mike Thaman of Owens Corning says the housing downturn of 2007-2011 was the worst in U.S. history.

    But the Toledo company's chairman and chief executive officer says that if the housing market continues to improve like it has been, it could be enough to power the American economy for the next three or four years.

    As the No. 1 Fiberglas insulation producer in the country and No. 2 seller of roofing materials, OC has been in a rare unique position to observe the fall of the housing market and its subsequent recovery.

    Mr. Thaman discussed his "Thoughts on Housing Recovery" on Monday in downtown Toledo during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Toledo.

    He said, "Owens Corning believes that the uptick seen in housing in the last six months is real.

    According to industry projections, housing starts could rise from 600,000 to 1.5 million housing starts in 2015.