Company adds 125,000 square feet to increase engineering and production capabilities
Phoenix Contact officially opened its newly expanded U.S. Development and Manufacturing (D&M) facility in Lower Swatara Township, Pa., on October 3. The company recently finished construction on a 125,000-square-foot addition to better accommodate its growing workforce and the increased demand for locally manufactured products.
With the three-story addition, Phoenix Contact’s U.S. headquarters now encompasses 360,000 square feet. The new space includes 50,000 square feet of production and support space; 50,000 square feet of office and lab space; and 25,000 square feet for an expanded cafeteria/kitchen, training rooms, wellness office, and room for the new combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system.
More than 80 customers and other guests attended the celebration. The event began with presentations and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by tours of the new engineering labs, offices and the manufacturing floor.
In 2005, Phoenix Contact established a D&M company, or Regional Business Unit (RBU), to meet the needs of customers in North and South America. The D&M company focuses on designing new products based on American standards and customer needs.
This approach of getting closer to the customer has driven strong growth for Phoenix Contact in the Americas. Since it was established, the D&M company has grown from 112 employees to 263, including 220 in the Lower Swatara Township facility, located just outside of Harrisburg, Pa. During that same time, overall Phoenix Contact employment in the U.S. has increased from 365 to 688, including 521 locally.
“The installation of the Regional Business Units’ own building in the U.S. witnesses the growing success of local R&D activities,” said Roland Bent, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Development, Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. “We at the German headquarters deeply believe in further growth according to our global leadership.”
“Since we established our D&M company a decade ago, we’ve been able to provide better products, improved response times and more personalized service for customers in North and South America,” said Jack Nehlig, President of Phoenix Contact USA. “This new facility will inspire us to build the next foundation of growth of the RBU. We congratulate our RBU and facilities teams for a job well done in designing this beautiful building.”
“Through innovation and trust, between our employees, customer, suppliers and community, we are a vibrant, growing company. This facility is a result of those efforts and our commitment to the future,” said David Skelton, Vice President and General Manager of Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing. “We now have additional production capabilities, new laboratories and office space, all designed to facilitate collaboration.”
Here is a look around the new facility (click to enlarge and start a slideshow):
