PMF Industries announces $8 million expansion and creation of 20 jobs on Reach Road

Kenneth Healy, executive vice president and director of engineering for PMF Industries in Williamsport, talks about the types of Flow Formed industrial cylinders needed by the commercial vehicle industry to use hydrogen gas as a fuel. Cylinders similar to these, but much larger, will be manufactured by PMF in a new 16,000 square foot facility that they plan to build as soon as possible with production expected to begin in 2025. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

A Williamsport-based manufacturer, a global leader in metalworking and precision metal forming, plans to expand its facilities with an $8 million building expansion project along with the purchase of necessary equipment.

Executives at PMF Industries, 2601 Reach Road, said during a tour of the plant Friday that their goal is to add a 16,000-square-foot building on the site that would support 20 additional positions, an effort to create and maintaining jobs that positions. PMF Industries to better meet the needs of its global customers. The company employs 78 workers divided into three teams.

“We think this will be a boon for Pennsylvania” said John F. Perrotto, president and CEO of PMF, speaking about the company’s goals between now and 2027, when it estimates the expansion will be up and running.

As the country moves further away from fossil fuels, hydrogen, which is clean burning, is seen as a next-generation fuel source, he said.

“Our project aims to increase capacity and manufacture larger diameter hydrogen (storage) bottles,” said Ken Healy, the company’s executive vice president and director of engineering.

These cylinders will primarily be for use in transportation, such as overland semi-trailers, he said.

This technology is more widespread in European and Asian markets. Devices manufactured at the factory will not be directly related to the so-called “hydrogen poles” but industries, such as developing ones, will need these devices as part of their infrastructure.

The United States isn’t there yet, but it surely will be, PMF Industries executives said.

Currently the plant makes stainless steel cylinders, but these are smaller, about 10 inches in diameter, although it has the capacity to make larger diameter cylinders.

However, officials’ goal will be to make cylinders with a diameter of 22 inches and a length of about 16 inches, Perrotto said.

PMF Industries’ plan has piqued the interest of the governor’s action team. State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, representing the 83rd District, toured the 58-year-old business and was impressed and wanted to help its growth in any way he could.

Just before the tour, Flick and the managers gathered in the company’s management conference room to go over their project plans.

PMF Industries is looking to partner with an aluminum company located near Pittsburgh, a necessary step that interested Flick who wanted to know where the company was located so he could contact and network with the appropriate state legislator serving the voters in this region.

PMF industries is also looking for customers to provide it with the parts necessary to set up a production line by mid-2025 and for its employees to reach the product prototype stage by 2026, the operation expansion taking place about a year later. .

During the tour, Flick and others were amazed by the highly technical lab, which features a machine capable of performing three-dimensional laser scanning without having to touch the scanned materials.

It has been learned that in addition to the governor’s action team, U.S. Senators Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and John Fetterman, D-Braddock, have expressed interest in seeing the product line and touring the factory.

State Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, who has strongly supported hydrogen hubs and hydrogen gas technology as a cleaner alternative fuel source, has also expressed interest.

PMF Industries has obtained several bids from local construction companies interested in building the expansion, Perrotto said.

The sprawling factory’s skilled workers offer a wide range of services, including flow forming, deep drawing, vacuum annealing, press forming, finishing, electropolishing, passivation, die spinning. hot, laser cutting, welding, machining and engineering.

“This is an employee-owned business.” said Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Fitzgerald Media Group, which organized the tour. PMF Industries has been providing family-sustaining jobs in Lycoming County since 1961, he said, manufacturing standard products for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defense, manufacturing and manufacturing. terrestrial energy, food processing, microelectronics, nuclear power and many others. It also achieves component shapes beyond conventional means of metal forming, at a more economical price,” the media group’s press release states.

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