Gerome Manufacturing begins construction of new $9 million plant
GEORGES TWP. — Gerome Manufacturing Co. on Tuesday began construction of a $9 million, 150,000-square-foot plant in the Fayette Business Park that will replace its two existing facilities in Fayette County when it opens next spring.
The company’s owners and president were joined by officials from Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, which owns the business park, at the construction site for a groundbreaking ceremony.
Gerome, which was founded in 1957, makes custom precision sheet metal products for various industries. Currently, it leases its production building on Route 119 from Fay-Penn and runs its finishing, assembly and shipping operations from its original plant on Oliver Road. Both facilities are in North Union Township.
The new plant will have some new production equipment that will help the business grow, improve efficiency and eventually add 20 to 25 new employees to the existing staff of 100, said Joe Putila, company president. The plant should be fully operational by mid-March, he said.
“We’re hoping to grow and diversify and attract new business,” Putila said during the ceremony. “Gerome is here to stay.”
Company founder Henry Matthew Gerome commended Putila for leading the effort to build the new plant.
“Thank you for being a good employer and a valued friend,” Putila responded.
He said the Gerome family, who also attended the ceremony, had to be convinced to build a new plant.
“We’ll prove to you your decision was a good one,” Putila said.
Michael Jordan Jr., Fay-Penn’s executive director, said talks with Putila about building a new plant to consolidate Gerome’s operations into one facility began several years ago.
The new plant is “a major, major project” that will benefit the county, Jordan said.
“This project is going to retain 100 jobs,” Jordan said.
“We applaud Gerome Manufacturing Co. for making this commitment to sustain and grow manufacturing jobs in Fayette County,” Fay-Penn board Chairman Steve Newbauer said.
“When I look at a company like Gerome Manufacturing, I see a real American success story,” said Timothy Grady, vice president of Washington Financial Bank, which provided financing to buy the property and build the plant.
Gerome designs and manufactures products for manufacturing giants such as Siemens, Mitsubishi and ABB, and homeland defense projects.
Products include magnetic shielding for sensitive instrumentation, electronic enclosures, internal chassis fabrications, instrument enclosures, sheet metal enclosures for computers, power supplies and motor controls. In addition to their sheet metal capabilities, they also provide bus bar and metal-working techniques to form, shape, machine, heat-treat and finish various materials.
Gerome’s products can be found in products throughout the world from relatively common magnetic shielding units to highly specialized products. Special fabrications such as breaker frames and cabinets for high-voltage, outdoor switchgear can be found on transmission lines worldwide.
In addition, the company received orders for enclosures that will be heading to Sochi, Russia, for use during the 2014 Winter Olympics. The enclosures, which are currently in production, will be used by SMI Snowmakers of Michigan to encase the controls for snow-making equipment for alpine events.