Gov. Nathan Deal announced West Penn Testing Group, a state-of-the-art material testing services provider, will locate to Ellabell, creating 70 jobs and investing $3 million into a facility over the next five years.
“West Penn Testing Group’s decision to locate to Bryan County underscores the high-caliber talent found in Georgia,” said Deal. “Not only does this advocate for Georgia’s No. 1 business climate, but it also shows the strength of our advanced manufacturing network. West Penn Testing Group made the right choice.”
West Penn Testing Group has selected Bryan County’s Interstate Centre industrial park as its next nondestructive testing center. The new West Penn Testing Georgia facility will utilize immersion ultrasonic, magnetic particle, etch, fluorescent and visible penetrant inspection to evaluate the quality and integrity of raw materials and components. Testing is anticipated to begin at the 30,000-square-foot Bryan County facility in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the company expects to employ roughly 70 ultrasonic technicians within five years. The company plans to work with the local communities, technical colleges and military bases to secure qualified candidates and will also qualify for Georgia QuickStart, one of the nation’s top workforce training programs.
“West Penn Testing Group is very excited about placing our facility in Bryan County and in the state of Georgia,” said N. David Campbell, CEO, West Penn Testing Group. “We selected the location based on Bryan County and the state’s ability to find ways to support our needs, such as local employment opportunities, technical education centers, potential veteran employment pool, building availability/location, Georgia’s QuickStart program and tax incentives to remain competitive in our markets.”
Alyce Thornhill, regional project manager at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) assisted the company on behalf of the state of Georgia, along with the Development Authority of Bryan County.
“We are very pleased to welcome West Penn Testing Group, a leading testing and evaluation organization, to Interstate Centre in Bryan County,” said Steve Croy, chairman of the Development Authority of Bryan County. “West Penn Testing’s presence in the community helps us further diversify the types of companies we have represented in our existing industry base. We are committed to working with West Penn Testing to help ensure the company’s success at the Bryan County facility.”
“Projects like this really reflect how economic development works in Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “Our seamless partnership with the community, education sector and Georgia QuickStart will support West Penn Testing Group’s new facility and the jobs and investment from this dynamic company will impact the future of the manufacturing industry.”
About West Penn Testing Group
West Penn Testing Group was established in 1952. The company provides an extensive array of reliable, independent nondestructive, chemical and material testing services. These nondestructive testing services can be used to evaluate all forms of ferrous metals, steel alloys, nickel/cobalt specialty alloys, titanium and powder alloys. West Penn Testing Group serves many markets, such as aerospace, power generation, medical and general industrial.
All testing services are conducted in West Penn Testing Group’s fully equipped facilities and are tailored directly to specific client needs. The company maintains other facilities in Pennsylvania and South Carolina with capacity to handle parts up to 20,000 pounds and 32 feet in length.