Conair: US Auxiliary Equipment Specialist Invests $10 Million in New Manufacturing Facility

Conair, a US-based supplier of auxiliary equipment for plastics processing, is investing approximately $10 million to expand its manufacturing operations in Franklin, Pennsylvania, according to the company. Conair, which is part of Italy's Piovan Group, has leased an additional 157,760-square-foot (approximately 14,660-square-meter) building at 325 Buffalo Street. The facility will provide additional capacity for metal fabrication, CNC machining and powder coating.

Additional In-House Manufacturing Capacity
The existing plant at 455 Allegheny Boulevard has reached its capacity limits and will continue to be used for equipment assembly. The new facility will undergo building modifications and receive investments in automated laser cutting systems for sheet metal and tubing, welding cells, CNC machining centers and powder coating equipment.

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With the expansion, Conair intends to bring selected manufacturing processes previously outsourced to external companies in-house. The move is designed to improve coordination between component manufacturing and final assembly, strengthen supply chain stability and increase production capacity. External suppliers will continue to play a role in production. According to the company, the investment is also expected to support shorter lead times and the introduction of new products.

Production Scheduled to Begin in Early 2027
Manufacturing and coating operations at the additional facility are scheduled to begin in early 2027. The range of components produced in-house is expected to expand gradually throughout 2027 and 2028, subject to equipment installation and employee training. The existing manufacturing team will relocate to the new building once renovation work is complete. The company's administrative headquarters will remain in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.

126 New Jobs and Public Funding
Conair expects to create 126 additional jobs over a three-year period. Initial recruitment will focus on maintenance technicians, laser technology specialists and powder coating personnel. Further positions are planned in welding, metal fabrication, machining and equipment operation.

The project is set to receive a total of $845,000 in public funding. Of this amount, $805,000 will come from the "Pennsylvania First" grant program, while $40,000 will be allocated to workforce training through "WEDnetPA".

Founded in Franklin in 1956, Conair specializes in auxiliary equipment for plastics processing within the Piovan Group. Its product portfolio includes material drying, conveying and dosing systems, temperature control equipment, size reduction machinery and downstream extrusion equipment.

More information: www.conairgroup.com, www.pgna.net, www.piovan.com

Conair Group, Inc., Cranberry Township, PA, USA

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