DevTech will lease a 120,000 square-foot manufacturing facility at 5210 Jaindl. Blvd in Hanover Township, Northampton County.
A manufacturer of custom plastic preforms and containers is coming to the Lehigh Valley, creating 32 new full-time, high-wage jobs over the next three years.
DevTech PET, Inc., which designs and manufactures custom-designed plastic bottles, containers, and preforms for the food and beverage industry, will lease a 120,000 square-foot manufacturing facility at 5210 Jaindl. Blvd in Hanover Township, Northampton County.
This $18.1 million project was assisted by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), which held discussions with DevTech from early in the selection process, connected them with the state, and provided information about the region, available resources, incentives, labor and more.
“We’re very pleased to welcome DevTech to the Lehigh Valley,” said Don Cunningham, LVEDC president and CEO. “They are a perfect fit for the Valley’s economy, where the food and beverage sector has grown rapidly during the last decade. The region’s location, workforce, infrastructure, and water and sewer resources have made it an East Coast hub for manufacturing and distribution. DevTech will be a great addition to a vibrant and growing economy.”
DevTech received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a $150,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant, $96,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs, and $21,600 in WEDnetPA funding for employee training.
“Operational cost savings made Pennsylvania the preferred location for DevTech’s new facility,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “The company could have remained in the neighboring state where it is currently established and that is in closer proximity to its customer base, but Pennsylvania’s advantages rose above the competition, showing once again that the commonwealth is open for business and job growth.”
In addition to the leasehold, DevTech will invest in infrastructure upgrades and new equipment at the Hanover Township facility. DevTech has 95 full-time employees and is a subsidiary of Envases Universales, which employs about 5,800 worldwide.
“We are looking forward to the successful expansion of our manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, and very grateful for the support, guidance, and incentives to materialize this project,” said Antonio Donnadieu, PET Division CEO for Envases Universales. “The support from both the Governor’s Action Team and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation was a fundamental factor in our decision making process.”
The Governor’s Action Team, the economic development arm of the governor, is a group of economic development professionals who work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania. They often work in collaboration with LVEDC.
DevTech is relevant to two industries that were identified by Garner Economics as target industry sectors for the Lehigh Valley economy: food and beverage processing and high performance manufacturing.
The Garner study found the Lehigh Valley is well suited to both industries due to its central location, proximity to major U.S. Northeast markets, well-developed transportation infrastructure, availability of water and sewer lines, and strong existing local pool of high-demand occupations, among other economic factors.