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CYBERSECURITY IN MANUFACTURING | TOP MANUFACTURERS IN BERKS, LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES

in the Greater Lehigh Valley 2018

INSIDE:

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

Manufacturers seek tighter spaces to accommodate fewer workers,

greater efficiencies

WWW.LVB.COM MADE IN THE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY 2018 3

NOT SO BIG

Demand grows for manufacturing companies that need smaller spaces ...............................................4

EASY TARGET?

As technology flourishes in manufacturing, so do opportunities for cybercriminals ........................6

CLOSEUP ON BERKS COUNTY

Top Berks manufacturers .................................................................................................................................................8

Custom Processing Services turns 20 with growth in its plans....................................................................9

CLOSEUP ON LEHIGH COUNTY

Top Lehigh manufacturers ........................................................................................................................................... 10

The Lehigh Valley is the place to be for Nestlé Waters ...................................................................................11

CLOSEUP ON NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Top Northampton manufacturers ..............................................................................................................................12

An American dream comes true at now-global Flexicon ..............................................................................13

COVER PHOTO - DEPOSIT PHOTO

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Nestlé Waters in Breinigsville has 600 employees: Page 11PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND

That’s how we treat all of our customers. Count on us, the number 1 premier pallet

recycling company in the Lehigh Valley. We now offer new wood pallets too.

Call and talk to a real person! 800 Held Drive, Northampton, PA 18067 Tel 610-262-9799 Fax 610-262-7120 www.nazpallet.com

YOU’RE #1

4 MADE IN THE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY 2018 LEHIGH VALLEY BUSINESS

By BRIAN PEDERSEN

[email protected]

Massive distribution centers, large warehouse facilities and low va-cancy rates dominate the Greater

Lehigh Valley landscape.So much so that the boom has created

a dearth of – and strong demand for – spaces at the other end of the spectrum: small to medium-sized spaces.

Manufacturers in particular tend to use less room and employ fewer people and, when starting out, need small spaces before they are ready to grow. The result is that manufacturers in the region are finding it difficult to find suitable spaces for operations.

However, there is hope.Landowners and economic develop-

ment organizations are encouraging devel-opers to respond to this need by building smaller buildings and by retrofitting older, obsolete ones to meet the needs of smaller companies. Experts say finding new uses for older, obsolete buildings is a strategy that works for opening smaller spaces for

manufacturers.“The solution, I think, is almost the

reuse of some older buildings,” said Bill Wolf, executive vice president of CBRE Inc., a global commercial real estate firm with an office in Upper Macungie Township. “These buildings have to be purchased at a price point, upgraded [by developers] where it’s needed and made available for these smaller manufacturers.”

NOT SEEING A LOT OF SPACEGenerally, manufacturers don’t need

massive buildings to run their business.They require lower ceiling heights be-

cause they store fewer products, and small buildings help them lower operating costs as well as prioritize the flow of produc-

tion. A smaller space also helps them bet-ter organize production, reducing waste.

Experts say the ideal space for manu-facturers, from 5,000 to 150,000 square feet, is in short supply in a marketplace dominated by more industrial buildings reaching sizes of 1 million square feet and larger. With large buildings eating up space for smaller ones, there’s not much room for smaller manufacturers.

“Vacancy rates are low to begin with, and you are not seeing a lot of indus-trial space,” said Joe Correia, executive vice president at J.G. Petrucci Co., a design-build firm in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

RATE SHOULD REMAIN LOWAccording to research from CBRE,

vacancy rates for industrial space in the

region for the second quarter are at a healthy 6 percent along the Interstate 78-81 corridor, which includes the Greater Lehigh Valley.

That figure rose only slightly year-over-year, and that rate should remain low, according to CBRE’s latest market report.

“I think demand is higher than supply at this moment in time,” said Don Cun-ningham, president and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.

“It’s been constant for about the last 18 months. The majority of prospects we are dealing with are manufacturers.”

MUST RESPOND QUICKLYOne issue that hinders finding a home

is timing. Manufacturers that contact LVEDC often want to move quickly and cannot wait three years to find a place and

AT ISSUELarge industrial buildings for warehouse and logistics users swallow up land otherwise available for small buildings ideal for manufacturing. However, small buildings are slowly starting to come online through new construction and renovations.

LITTLE BY LITTLEDEVELOPERS SCRAMBLE TO MEET DEMAND FOR SMALL MANUFACTURING SPACES

The former Reeb Millwork building at 600 Brighton St. in Fountain Hill is a property that could be subdivided to accommodate multiple small manufacturers.PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND

‘The solution, I think, is almost the reuse of some older buildings.’ — Bill WolfCBRE Inc.


finalize a lease, Cunningham said.“If companies have capital and they

need to relocate, if you don’t have proper-ty, you lose those prospects,” he said.

However, LVEDC has been reaching out to developers to encourage them to build smaller sites, an effort that has shown progress, Cunningham said.

Another solution, experts said, is to reuse older buildings, even large ones, and subdivide them to fit smaller manufactur-ing companies.

RESPONDING TO THE GAPLehigh Valley Industrial Park Inc. is

looking to create a small building in its Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII in Beth-lehem that could have up to four small manufacturers occupying about 40,000 square feet, Cunningham said.

Kerry Wrobel, president of LVIP, said

construction of the flex industrial build-ing, at 1920 Spillman Drive, should begin in September.

“We do not have tenants at this time; we are focused on attracting small man-ufacturers to the building,” Wrobel said. “LVIP is responding to the gap that we need to create Class-A industrial space for small manufacturers.”

MANUFACTURERS PREFERREDJ.G. Petrucci also is building small prop-

erties that could be for manufacturing uses in the Valley, Cunningham added.

Correia said the firm is developing sev-

eral older properties to bring them back

to use. Though the market would dictate

what companies land there, Correia said

his company’s preference is always to

bring manufacturing to the Valley.J.G. Petrucci also is looking to divide

large industrial-zoned buildings to allow more than one company to occupy the space.

SUBDIVISIONAn example of a potential reuse proper-

ty is the former Reeb Millwork building at 600 Brighton St. in Fountain Hill. Reeb Millwork, which manufactures mill-work products, relocated to a new space

please see SMALL SPACES, page 15

THE CASE FOR SMALLER SPACEManufacturers tend to:

Employ fewer people.

Need lower ceiling heights.

Want lower operating expenses.

Prioritize flow/organization of production space.

An aerial rendering shows Lehigh Valley Flex Center, a project J.G. Petrucci Co. is building at the site of the former Guardian Insurance building at 3900 Burgess Place in Hanover Township, Northampton County. The site will become three industrial buildings totaling 470,000 square feet.

CONTRIBUTED

‘LVIP is responding to the gap that we need to create Class-A industrial space for small manufacturers.’

— Kerry WrobelLehigh Valley Industrial Park Inc.


By JENNIFER TROXELL WOODWARD Special for Lehigh Valley Business

Manufacturers recognize they must stay up-to-date on tech-nology to stay competitive in

the market.But as robots and automated ma-

chines get upgraded, manufacturers need to understand they also are making themselves more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Hackers can access company computers and subsequently gain access to the equipment or online devices on the production floor.

Meanwhile, the internet of things – the concept of multiple devices communi-cating with each other through online connection – has generated a significant increase in hacking incidents.

Officials say the manufacturing indus-try is one of the top industries affected

by cyberwarfare. Ransomware attacks (freezing data until ransom is paid) and phishing attempts (fraudulent emails) are two of the easiest ways that cybercriminals can get inside a manufacturing plant.

To stop a cyberattack, or at least protect against it, manufacturers need to educate employees on what to look for, do risk as-sessments on their computer systems and

budget for cybersecurity.“In the last few years,

cybercrime has been a real issue, and manufac-turers need to realize that it is only going to get worse,” said Jack Pfunder,

president and CEO of the Manufacturers Resource Center in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. “Manufacturers need to isolate sensitive data, the supply chain needs to be protected and they need to educate their workers.”

VULNERABLE VIA VENDORSPfunder said that to combat the surge

in cybercrimes, periodically MRC hosts seminars and workshops to bring aware-ness to manufacturers.

He said small manufacturers are easier targets and often more vulnerable to cyberattackers. Large manufacturers usually have better information technol-ogy systems in place, yet they also have a lot going on and miss the signs of an attack. “They need to look at vendors and customers and how they are handling things,” Pfunder said.

He noted that a manufacturing com-pany can do everything it can to protect against hackers at its facilities only to have confidential information stolen by a hacker getting into the system of a vendor or customer.

PROTECTING PROPRIETARY INFO

Joseph Harford, president and founder of Reclamere in Tyrone, said manufactur-ing is one of the top industries that must be vigilant regarding cybersecurity attacks.

“Smaller manufacturers do not pay enough attention for sure, simply because they have bigger things to worry about” and insufficient IT staff, said Harford,

The internet of things – multiple devices communicating with each other – has generated a significant increase in hacking.PHOTO/TIPCHAI

STAYING SECUREJoseph Harford, president and founder of Reclamere, a cybersecurity company in Tyrone, gives three keys for a manufacturer to avoid and mitigate cyberattacks:

Have a risk assessment done for the entire business.

Then, create a remediation plan.

Always budget for cybersecurity.

Pfunder


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•Injection Molding

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Our services include:

•Stereolithography (SLA)

•Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

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whose cybersecurity company has clients throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

“Manufacturers – places like Nestle and Coca-Cola – have to worry about getting hacked, and many times these cybercriminals want information per-taining to product formulas, which are attractive on the open market,” he said.

ASSESSMENT, TRAININGReclamere is frequently asked to per-

form risk assessments at manufacturing companies.

Companies also want Harford and his team to go on-site for cybersecurity train-ing and to teach employees what to look for and how to spot a fake email and give other examples of methods that a cyberat-tacker may use to tap into the network. “We perform a risk assessment and devel-op a remediation plan,” he said. “Em-ployees are always the No. 1 threat to the company and the weakest link.

“Many manufacturers do not come to us until their hair is on fire, and they say, ‘What is happening to us?’ ”

CLOSE THE BACK DOORSDan Canton, owner of CMIT Solu-

tions of Reading in Muhlenberg Town-ship, said ransomware scams occur frequently, but many cyberattacks can go

relatively unnoticed until a company’s design or trade secrets end up being sold in another country – such as China – for half the price.

“So manufacturers need to do those routine checks, updates and backups. Keep an eye out for software that is more secure, and people who touch machines must be trained to stay protected,” Can-ton said.

“You need to be cognizant if an auto-mated system [on the production floor] is running on an open operating system. Make sure that there are no back doors into the system that could shut down equipment on the floor.”

FAKE EMAILSCybersecurity officials say to avoid

clicking on an email that requests user-name and password updates.

They also say to be wary of fake emails from a CEO requesting a money transfer, fraudulent email from someone request-ing immediate action, an email claiming to be from a large company (Amazon or UPS for example) or an unexpected email with an attachment (such as an invoice).

The best thing to do is call some-one, likely a supervisor, and question a suspicious email before opening it, said

David Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association in Harrisburg, adding that the wrong way to handle it is to forward the questionable email to others that may open it. Make a phone call instead of sharing the email. “Complacency and laziness often lull people into a false sense of security,” Taylor said.

INVESTMENT IN R&DAccording to Taylor, manufacturers are

the top customer for information technol-ogy as well as one of the largest investors in research and development.

Their constant investment in technolo-gy and upgrading of processes means that

David Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, says complacency and laziness can lull companies into a false sense of security.CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

please see HACKERS, page 15


Berks County ManufacturersRanked by local employees

Rank NameAddress

Local employees Top local executive(s)Title(s)

WebsitePhone

Local/total locationsHeadquarters

Year established locally

Services provided

1EAST PENN MANUFACTURING CO.INC.Deka Road, P.O. Box 147Lyon Station, PA 19536

7,500 Chris PruittCEO

www.dekabatteries.com610-682-6361

1/1Lyon Station

1946

Manufactures thousands of sizes and types of lead-acid batteries,battery accessories and wire and cable products

2CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY CORP.2 Meridian Blvd.Wyomissing, PA 19610

2,300 Tony R. ThenePresident & CEO

www.cartech.com610-208-2000800-654-6543

1/2Philadelphia

1889

Development, manufacture and distribution of cast, wrought andpowder metal, stainless steels and specialty alloys

3ALCON714 Columbia Ave.Sinking Spring, PA 19608

780 Ed McGoughSenior Vice President

www.alcon.com610-670-3500

1/87Fort Worth, Texas

1945

Manufactures medical equipment and supplies

4SWEET STREET DESSERTS INC.722 Hiesters LaneReading, PA 19605

650 Sandy L. SolmonOwner

www.sweetstreet.com610-921-8113800-793-3897

1/2Reading

1979

Frozen gourmet desserts

5READING TRUCK BODY LLC825 E. Wyomissing Blvd., P.O. Box 650Reading, PA 19607

625 Brian NadelPresident & CEO

www.readingbody.com610-775-3301800-458-2226

3/8Houston

1955

Manufacturer of vocational work truck bodies, including servicebodies, dumps, platforms, enclosed utility bodies, landscaperbodies and crane bodies

6CAMBRIDGE-LEE INDUSTRIES LLC86 Tube DriveReading, PA 19605

503 Dan ErckCEO

www.camlee.com610-926-4141

1/4Reading

1942

Manufacturing of copper tubing and distribution of copper andcopper alloy products for the plumbing, heating, ventilation and airconditioning, construction, industrial and original equipmentmanufacturing markets

7R.M. PALMER CO.P.O. Box 1723Reading, PA 19603

500 Richard M. PalmerCEO

www.rmpalmer.com610-372-8971

1/1Reading

1949

Chocolate and candy manufacturing

8CLOVER FARMS DAIRY CO.3300 Pottsville PikeReading, PA 19612

285 Richard HartmanPresident

www.cloverfarms.com610-921-9111

1/1Reading

1937

Farm and dairy

9HOFFMAN INDUSTRIES3145 Shillington RoadSinking Spring, PA 19608

275 Scott BennerPlant Manager

www.hofmann.com610-678-8051

1/2Sinking Spring

1922

Quality tube manufacturing, fabrication and coating

10BALLY RIBBON MILLS23 N. Seventh St.Bally, PA 19503

265 Ray HarriesPresident

www.ballyribbon.com610-845-2211

1/1Bally1923

Narrow tapes and webbing, engineered textiles and advancedcomposites

11BIRDSBORO KOSHER FARMS CORP.1100 Lincoln RoadBirdsboro, PA 19508

235 Issy PerlmutterCEO

www.birdsborokosher.com610-404-0001

1/1Birdsboro

DNR

Kosher farm providing natural, antibiotic-free, with no growthhormones chickens

12F.M. BROWN'S SONS INC.205 Woodrow Ave., P.O. Box 2116Sinking Spring, PA 19608

200 Cindy BarbaryExecutive Officer

www.fmbrown.com800-334-8816

1/1Sinking Spring

1843

Pet food manufacturing

13ENERSYS INC.2366 Bernville RoadReading, PA 19605

200 John D. CraigChairman & CEO

www.enersys.com610-208-1991

1/DNRReading

2000

Manufactures batteries for motive power, reserve power, aerospaceand defense applications

14BRENTWOOD INDUSTRIES INC.500 Spring Ridge DriveReading, PA 19610

150 Peter RyePresident

www.brentwoodindustries.com610-374-5109

3/10Reading

1965

Plastics manufacturer

15CUSTOM PROCESSING SERVICES INC.2 Birchmont DriveReading, PA 19606

125 Gregg ShemanskiPresident

www.customprocessingservices.com610-779-7001

1/2Reading

1999

Contract manufacturing, micronizing, pulverizing, crushing forminerals, waxes, polymers and pharmaceuticals

16BEACON CONTAINER CORP.700 W. First St.Birdsboro, PA 19508

120 Steven WalterPresident & CEO

www.beaconcontainer.com610-582-2222

2/2Birdsboro

1955

Corrugated shipping containers and point-of-purchase displays

17BERK WIPER INTERNATIONAL LLC400 E. Second St.Boyertown, PA 19512

105 Larry BerkCEO

www.berkwiper.com866-222-2375

1/1Boyertown

200

Manufacturer and marketer of towel, tissue and nonwovendisposable wiping cloths

18READING BAKERY SYSTEMS380 Old W. Penn Ave.Robesonia, PA 19551

105 E. Terry GroffChairman

www.readingbakery.com610-678-5890

2/2Robesonia

1947

Food manufacturing with focus on baked production systems

19ALUMINUM ALLOYS4601 Penn Ave.Sinking Spring, PA 19608

105 William RitaPresident & CEO

www.aluminumalloysinc.com610-678-8023

1/1Sinking Spring

1967

Aluminum sand castings manufacturing

20QUAKER MAID MEATS521 Carroll St.Reading, PA 19611

101 Stanley SzortykaCEO

www.quakermaidmeats.com610-376-1500

1/1Reading

1960

Meat manufacturing

21SPARTON RUGGED ELECTRONICS1 Riga LaneBirdsboro, PA 19508

100 Anthony ZuccarelliVice President

www.spartonre.com610-404-7400866-367-2934

1/DNRSchaumburg, Ill

1963

Liquid crystal displays for rugged and harsh environments

22AMMERAAL BELTECH MODULAR INC.500 Brentwood DriveReading, PA 19611

100 Bo DanielsonChief Operating Officer

www.ammeraalbeltech.com610-372-1800

1/DNRVejle, Denmark

1992

Plastic modular belting, slat-top chains and accessories

23MISCO PRODUCTS CORP.1048 Stinson DriveReading, PA 19605

80 Steven GablePresident

www.miscoprod.com800-548-4568

1/1Reading

1962

Manufacturer of liquid cleaning chemicals used primarily inexclusive branding for the janitorial sanitation, food service,education, health care and other commercial and industrial markets

DBA-doing business as DNR-did not respond NA-not applicable The Lehigh Valley Business list of Berks County Manufacturers is limited to those in Berks County. Information came from the individual companies and other LVBresearch. In some cases, the executive who heads the local office may not be locally based. To access the Lehigh Valley Business online database, visit www.LVB.com/lists. Surveys available at www.LVBlists.com.Published August 13, 2018.

Researched by Christopher Holland

LVB LIST


By BRIAN PEDERSEN [email protected]

Finding and filling a niche is one of the most critical ways for a manu-facturer to become successful and

continue to stay innovative and relevant.For Custom Processing Services Inc.,

that niche involves serving a wide range of industries as a contract manufacturer that processes materials for other businesses. The company, which turns 20 this year, is growing and looking to expand in the Berks County region.

“There’s research and development people who are very good at figuring out what they need, but don’t know how to do it,” said Gregg Shemanski, president of Custom Processing Services, based in Exeter Township. “We have a team of engineers who can do it.”

Shemanski’s company, which he incorporated in 1998 with his business partner Jeff Klinger, be-gan operations in Berks County in 2000 and has the equipment to regu-

larly test processes and produce them.The company’s clients include those

in the pharmaceutical, chemical, miner-al, food and polymer industries, a very broad-based, noncore customer group, he said. Its services include jet milling, course grinding, wet processing and food grade and active pharmaceutical processing, as well as custom packaging, blending and surface treating.

“We have so many different customers with so many different configurations; we customize our systems to customers’ needs,” Shemanski said.

As an example, there are always new targets for different markets coming out of the pharmaceutical industry, and many are using other companies to manufacture their products. As a result, Custom Pro-cessing Services has been capturing some of that business.

“Every day, there are new parts of mar-kets that we haven’t touched before,” Shem-anski said. “It’s not the same every day.”

CUSTOMERS BIG AND SMALLCustom Processing works with a variety

of small and large businesses, from one- to two-person companies to Fortune 50 corporations, Shemanski said.

“Our technology, our expertise is applicable to both,” he said. “They are all looking for the same thing and they have a need that we can satisfy – and we can start manufacturing for them today.”

Shemanski’s first job as a college stu-dent involved making very small powders for the battery industry. He’s now in his 41st year of making small powders, still bringing that enthusiasm to his role as the leader of the company and hoping to translate that to his employees.

Employees are proud that they are making products used worldwide every day, he added.

HIRING CHALLENGESHowever, Custom Processing continues

to face challenges with hiring the right people.

“The hardest position to fill is direct labor manufacturing,” Shemanski said. “We have great wages, but they have to be willing to do it. We look for people that fit our culture. If they fit our culture, they will fit our company.”

To achieve this goal, Custom Processing works with an internal human resources department, the Manufacturers Resource Center and often recruiters in trying to hire engineers who can create designs and improvements for equipment.

Custom Processing is hiring for 24 openings, positions from floor operators to maintenance group personnel and engi-neers, Shemanski said.

NEED FOR SPACEThe manufacturer, which has several

locations totaling about 150,000 square feet, needs more space.

The company has a campus of manu-facturing buildings in Exeter Township where it has about 100 employees and an-other campus of manufacturing buildings in East Greenville, where it employs 50. The company also has a remote warehouse in St. Lawrence.

Shemanski said he is looking for 60,000 square feet to expand his operations, ideally in the Berks area.

REGULATORY BURDENOther challenges for Custom Processing

include trying to stay updated with govern-

ment regulations, particularly those related to the environment, safety and food.

“Over the years, it’s gotten harder,” Shemanski said. “I’m hoping it kind of plateaus.

“It takes a heck of a lot of effort to stay ahead of the regulations.”

GROWTH GOALSTed Wolf, an executive coach based

in Lancaster, said he has worked with Shemanski and Klinger over the past 18 months on redesigning the company’s business model so it can achieve its five-year growth goals.

“Because of present relationships with pres-ent companies, the next five years, they are going to see explosive growth,” Wolf said.

This growth will come about because the company is switching from the traditional hierarchal management structure to a team-based approach, according to Wolf.

ELIMINATING HIERARCHYWith the new model, teams will have

thought leaders (employees and/or consul-tants) who will bring ideas and implement them as part of a team. This approach improves and helps Custom Processing identify future managers within the com-pany, Wolf said.

“They are on the leading edge of a lot of companies in the [Greater] Lehigh Valley because of these new business models,” Wolf said. “They are doing away with the hierarchy in the organization.”

The manufacturer is not sacrificing profit to do that because it has high pro-ductivity, he added.

CUSTOM PROCESSING SERVICES INC.

What: Contract manufacturer that processes materials for other businesses. Services include micronizing, pulverizing and crushing for waxes, polymers and pharmaceuticals.

Locations: Birchmont Drive, Exeter Township (headquarters), East Greenville and St. Lawrence.

No. of employees: 150.

Website: www.customprocessingservices.com.

Shemanski

The campus of Custom Processing Services Inc. in Exeter Township, where about 100 people work.CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Klinger


Lehigh County ManufacturersRanked by local employees

Rank NameAddress


WebsitePhone



Services provided

1MACK TRUCKS INC.7000 Alburtis RoadMacungie, PA 18062

2,400 Rickard LundbergVice President & GeneralManager, Lehigh Valley

Operations

www.macktrucks.com610-351-8800

2/4Greensboro, N.C.

1905

Construction, highway and refuse truck production

2AIR PRODUCTS7201 Hamilton Blvd.Allentown, PA 18195-1501

2,300 Seifi GhasemiChairman, President & CEO

www.airproducts.com610-481-4911

8/DNRTrexlertown

1946

Industrial gases and related equipment

3LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO. INC.7200 Suter RoadCoopersburg, PA 18036

1,500 John LongenderferCEO

www.lutron.com610-282-3800888-588-7661

1/DNRCoopersburg

1959

Lighting controls and systems, motorized shading devices

4OLYMPUS CORP. OF THE AMERICAS3500 Corporate ParkwayCenter Valley, PA 18034

1,015 Nacho AbiaPresident & CEO

www.olympusamerica.com484-896-5000800-848-9024

2/200Center Valley

2006

Medical and surgical products, gastrointestinal and respiratoryendoscopy, therapeutic accessories, minimally invasive surgicalproducts and accessories, biological and industrial microscopesystems, nondestructive testing products, analytical instruments,remote visual inspection products, digital cameras, optical components,audio products, binoculars

5BOSTON BEER CO.7880 Penn DriveBreinigsville, PA 18031

700 Bill ScheirerPlant Manager

www.bostonbeer.com610-391-4700

1/DNRBoston2008

Sam Adams brewery

6NESTLE WATERS NORTH AMERICAINC.405 Nestle WayBreinigsville, PA 18031

500 Peter RittenhouseSupply Chain Director

www.nestle-watersna.com610-530-7301

1-800-450-7599

1/29Stamford, Conn.

1995

Water bottling and distribution

7WESTPORT AXLE650 Boulder DriveBreinigsville, PA 18031

500 Alexander Van LeyenPresident

www.westport-global.com610-366-2900

1/4Louisville

2012

Logistics, machining and assembly

8BAZZINI NUTS1035 Mill RoadAllentown, PA 18106

250 Richard ToltzisChief Operating Officer

www.bazzininuts.comDNR

1/1Allentown

2011

Manufacturing, packaging and shipping of nuts including peanuts,cashews, almonds, pecans, pistachios and more

9AMERICAN ATELIER INC.2132 Downyflake LaneAllentown, PA 18103

240 David GoodmanPresident

www.aaihospitality.com610-439-4040

1/1Allentown

1995

Custom furniture manufacturer, specializing in the hospitality andinstitutional markets

10OCEAN SPRAY CRANBERRIES INC.151 Boulder DriveBreinigsville, PA 18031

210 DNRDNR

www.oceanspray.com508-946-1000

1/DNRMiddleborough,

Mass.2014

Cranberry and grapefruit juice manufacturing

11NESTLE PURINA PET CARE CO.2050 Pope RoadAllentown, PA 18104

200 John GarzelVice President

www.purina.com610-395-3301

1/DNRSt. Louis

1903

Dog- and cat-food manufacturing

12ALLEN ORGAN CO.150 Locust St.Macungie, PA 18062

190 Steven A. MarkowitzPresident

www.allenorgan.comwww.aiaaoc.com

610-966-2200

1/1Macungie

1945

Electronic organs, contract manufacturing services

13BIMBO BAKERIES USA INC.294 Boulder DriveBreinigsville, PA 18031

170 DNRDNR

www.bimbobakeriesusa.com610-391-7490

1/DNRHorsham

2014

Manufactures, distributes and markets bread, cakes and cookies

14ATAS INTERNATIONAL INC.6612 Snowdrift RoadAllentown, PA 18106

135 Dick Bus and Jim BusPresident and Vice President

www.atas.com610-395-8445

2/6Allentown

1985

Manufacturer of metal roofing, metal wall cladding, metal ceiling panelsand metal accessories, produces systems for commercial andresidential buildings

15AVANTOR PERFORMANCEMATERIALS3477 Corporate Parkway, Suite 200Center Valley, PA 18034

120 Michael StubblefieldCEO

www.avantormaterials.com855-282-6867

2/10Center Valley

1867

Global supplier of purity materials for the life sciences and advancedtechnology markets including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medicaldevice, diagnostics, aerospace and defense and semiconductorindustries

16SOLAR TECHNOLOGY INC.7620 Cetronia RoadAllentown, PA 18106

100 Eric ZerphyPresident & CEO

www.solartechnology.com610-391-8600

1/1Allentown

1991

Manufactures solar-powered message and arrow boards, radar andspeed limit signs and more

17MORRIS BLACK & SONS INC.1493 Hampton RoadAllentown, PA 18104

90 Ronald Black and Robert BlackPresident and Vice President

www.morrisblackinc.com610-264-2700888-662-5225

2/2Allentown

1908

Custom-fabricated casework and architectural millwork, commercialdoors and hardware, kitchens and baths, residential insulationcontracting

18ALLENTECH6350 Hedgewood DriveAllentown, PA 18106

85 Douglas LehPresident

www.allentech.com484-664-7887

1/1Allentown

2005

Manufacturer and erector of internal floating roofs and perimeter sealsystems for above-ground storage tanks and covers for AmericanPetroleum Institute separator basins

19ACME CRYOGENICS INC.2801 Mitchell Ave.Allentown, PA 18103

75 David FritzCEO

www.acmecryo.com610-791-7909800-422-2790

1/7Allentown

1969

Cryogenic equipment, helium container and hydrogen tank repair andrehab, field service

20FLEXLINK SYSTEMS INC.6580 Snowdrift RoadAllentown, PA 18106

70 Dave ClarkArea Director

www.flexlink.com610-973-8200877-266-2249

5/35Gothenburg,

Sweden1988

Conveyor manufacturer offering automated conveyor systems, flexibleconveyor equipment, aluminum and stainless steel conveyors

21LILLY DAVID2030 Vultee St.Allentown, PA 18103

49 David LillyOwner

www.lillydavid.com610-791-7977

1/1Allentown

1964

Embroidery facilities

22BRITECH775 Roble RoadAllentown, PA 18109

42 Brian J. McCall; Denise McCalland Russell Hock

CEO; Chief Financial Officer andPresident

www.britech.com610-264-5400888-427-4832

1/1Allentown

1991

Contract manufacturing of cable-harness assemblies, control panels,turnkey, design testing, engineering and powder-coating

23THE HYMAN COMPANIES - LANDAUJEWELRY727 N. Meadow St.Allentown, PA 18102

35 Nat L. HymanFounder & President

www.landaujewelry.com610-433-4114

1/1Allentown

1987

Jewelry manufacturer and distributor

24LEHIGH ELECTRIC PRODUCTS CO.6265 Hamilton Blvd.Allentown, PA 18106

30 Lloyd JonesPresident

www.lehighdim.com610-395-3386

1/1Allentown

1960

Architectural and theatrical lighting control systems, digital multiplexcontrols, light-emitting diode stage lighting fixtures, lamps, gels anddesign services

25PROTOCAM6620 Grant WayAllentown, PA 18106

18 Ronald Belknap and Ray BieryPresident & CEO and Managing

Partner

www.protocam.com610-261-9010800-408-9010

1/1Allentown

1994

Rapid prototyping, engineering and manufacturing

DBA-doing business as DNR-did not respond NA-not applicable The Lehigh Valley Business list of Lehigh County Manufacturers is limited to companies in Lehigh County. Information came from the individual companies and otherLVB research. In some cases, the executive who heads the local office may not be locally based. To access the Lehigh Valley Business online database, visit www.LVB.com/lists. Surveys available at www.LVBlists.com.Published August 13, 2018.


LVB LIST


ONDRA-HUYETT A S S O C I A T E S, I N C.

Managers & Builders ohainc.co m

Whether it is a clinical space, infrastructure upgrades within an existing hospital or a fit-out for an off campus facility,

Ondra-Huyett has the knowledge, experience, and staff to deliver state of the art medical spaces.

ICRA Certified Staff I On-time On-budget Deliveries Quality Construction I Delivering Award Winning Patient Care Areas

Planning & Sequencing Specialists I Limited Scope Capabilities

By MELINDA RIZZO Special for Lehigh Valley Business

When bottled water is your business, finding and pro-tecting high quality sources

of it is a top priority.For 23 years, Nestlé Waters has called

the Lehigh Valley home thanks to abun-dant, pristine water sources for its bottled

water products along with a perfect blend of employee talent, area partnerships, a 111-acre manufacturing property in Upper Macungie Township and strategic interstate highways to serve its customers.

“The growth that occurs here continues, as do the trends for bottled waters,” said Eric Andreus, natural resource manager for Nestlé Waters in Breinigsville in Upper

Macungie Township. “As consumers are more health conscious, [they move away] from sugary soft drinks.”

A report by Zion Market Research esti-mated the global bottled water market to reach a whopping $280 billion by 2020.

And a big player such as Nestlé Waters is well positioned to get a bigger piece of the market. It has locally sourced raw materials and manufacturing facilities and convenient trucking and logistics and distribution infrastructure to major East Coast and Midwest markets.

“We are very happy to be here in the Lehigh Valley,” said Mike Franceschetti, Nestlé Waters plant manager in Upper Macungie Township. “It’s been great.”

COMPETITION FOR WORKERSNestlé Waters officials said they recruit

workers for manufacturing positions from the Greater Lehigh Valley and that the most significant challenge they face is filling open jobs.

“Ideally, employees are suited to manu-facturing but also want to grow with the company,” said Franceschetti said. “We’re competing for the same talent pool in the Lehigh Valley as other manufacturers, and that is the struggle right now.”

NESTLÉ WATERS NORTH AMERICA

What: Global water sourcing and bottling company, including spring purified sparkling and mineral water brands.

Locations: Two adjacent facilities on Nestlé Way, Breinigsville.

No. of workers: About 600.

Website: www.nestle-watersna.com.

please see NESTLÉ, page 14

Nestlé Waters has been making bottled water in the region for more than two decades.PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND


Northampton County ManufacturersRanked by local employees

Rank NameAddress


WebsitePhone



Services provided

1B. BRAUN MEDICAL INC.824 12th Ave.Bethlehem, PA 18018

2,020 Caroll H. NeubauerChairman & CEO

www.bbraunusa.com610-691-5400800-523-9676

8/31Bethlehem

1957

Supplier of IV therapy products, including IV solutions, drugdelivery systems, vascular access devices (standard and needle-free IV systems and IV safety catheters) and infusion pumps,also manufactures, markets, distributes and supports a medicalproduct line that includes advanced products for pharmacy,clinical nutrition, anesthesia/pain control and hemodialysis andrenal replacement therapy

2CRAYOLA LLC1100 Church LaneEaston, PA 18044

1,235 Smith HollandPresident & CEO

www.crayola.com610-253-6272

DNR/DNREaston1885

Manufactures crayons, markers, paint, etc.

3VICTAULIC4901 Kesslersville RoadEaston, PA 18040-6714

1,100 John F. MalloyChairman, President & CEO

www.victaulic.com610-559-3300

5/47Easton1967

Global producer of mechanical pipe-joining solutions used acrossbusiness lines, including oil, gas and chemical, mining, powergeneration, water and wastewater treatment, military and marine,as well as commercial building and fire protection

4BOSCH REXROTH CORP.2315 City Line RoadBethlehem, PA 18017

600 Manfred HahnVice President & General Manager

www.boschrexroth.com610-694-8300

1/8Charlotte, N.C.

1966

Manufacturer of industrial hydraulic components and systems

5MAJESTIC ATHLETICINTERNATIONAL2320 Newlins Mill RoadEaston, PA 18045

600 Jim PisaniPresident

www.majesticathletic.com610-746-7494

1/1Easton1976

Athletic apparel manufacturing

6C.F. MARTIN GUITAR & CO. INC.510 Sycamore St.Nazareth, PA 18064

550 Christian F. MartinChairman & CEO

www.martinguitar.com610-759-2837

1/2Nazareth

1833

Manufactures handcrafted acoustic guitars as well as guitarstrings and ukuleles

7JUST BORN QUALITY CONFECTIONS1300 Stefko Blvd.Bethlehem, PA 18017

550 Ross J. Born; David N. Shaffer andDavid L. Yale

CEO; Chairman of the Board andPresident & Chief Operating Officer

www.justborn.com610-867-7568800-445-5787

2/5Bethlehem

1932

Candy manufacturer, retail stores

8HYDAC TECHNOLOGY CORP.2260 City Line RoadBethlehem, PA 18017

325 Matthias MuellerPresident & CEO

www.hydac-na.com610-266-0100800-464-9322

3/9Bethlehem

1975

Hydraulic components and systems, electronics

9LEHIGH CEMENT CO.3251 Bath PikeNazareth, PA 18064

250 Dan WrenManager

www.lehighhanson.com610-837-6725

1/DNRIrving, Texas

1866

Cement and concrete admixtures and manufacturer

10FLEXICON CORP.2400 Emrick Blvd.Bethlehem, PA 18020

150 David GillPresident & CEO

www.flexicon.com610-814-2400

1/8Bethlehem

DNR

Designs and manufactures bulk handling equipment and custom-engineered and integrated plantwide systems

11MOLDED ACOUSTICAL PRODUCTSOF EASTON INC.3 Danforth DriveEaston, PA 18045

150 John D'AmicoCEO

www.mapeaston.com610-253-7135

1/1Easton1973

Thermal and acoustical products

12KEYSTONE FOOD PRODUCTSP.O. Box 326Easton, PA 18044

150 William CorrierePresident

www.keystonesnacks.com610-258-0888

1/1Easton1946

Manufactures corn-based snacks, co-develops and co-packagesnatural and organic product lines for other national brands

13INNOVATIVE OFFICE PRODUCTSLLC100 Kuebler RoadEaston, PA 18040

146 Dave FoxCEO

www.innovativeworkspaces.com610-253-9554800-524-2744

1/2Easton1986

Design and manufacture of ergonomic, space-saving arms andmounts for flat-panel monitors, laptops and tablets, point-of-saledisplay and device-mounting solutions, sit/stand workstations

14NAZARETH PALLET CO. INC.800 Held DriveNorthampton, PA 18067

144 George Frack Jr.President

www.nazpallet.com610-262-97996102629799

1/1Northampton

1984

Recycled, remanufactured, combination and new wood pallets forpurchase, on-site staffing for larger companies, supplying theequipment and labor to manage off-site pallet needs

15PRECISION MEDICAL INC.300 Held DriveNorthampton, PA 18067

140 Michael KrupaPresident & CEO

www.precisionmedical.com610-262-6020800-272-7285

1/1Northampton

1984

Manufactures specialty respiratory products, including portableoxygen concentrators, oxygen-conserving regulators, all utilizingcontrolled minute-volume technology, as well as portable suctionunits, air compressors, oxygen regulators, air-oxygen blenders,flow meters and medical fittings

16MCS INDUSTRIES2280 Newlins Mill RoadEaston, PA 18045

110 John AlvatorVice President

www.mcsframes.com610-253-6268

1/3Easton1948

Manufacturer and supplier of tabletop frames, albums andscrapbooks, mirrors, wall décor and art-print products

17PHOENIX TUBE CO. INC.1185 Win DriveBethlehem, PA 18017

105 Andrew RealeCEO

www.phoenixtube.com610-865-5337

1/1Bethlehem

1979

Manufacturer of stainless steel long products with focus onornamental and structural tubing, as well as processed flat bar

18STRAHMAN VALVES INC.2801 Baglyos CircleBethlehem, PA 18020

80 August F. PercocoPresident & CEO

www.strahmanvalves.com610-814-7128

1/2Bethlehem

1921

Designs and manufactures valve, wash-down and pre-rinseproducts

19EFFORT FOUNDRY INC.6980 Chrisphalt DriveBath, PA 18014

75 Charlie HamburgCEO

www.effortfoundry.com610-837-1837

1/1Bath1973

Manufacturer and supplier of steel castings for the pump, valve,nuclear, power generation and military industries, as well asother general manufacturing applications

20HINDLEPOWER INC.1075 St. John St.Easton, PA 18042

74 William HindleOwner

www.hindlepowerinc.com610-330-9000

1/1Easton1970

Utility and industrial battery chargers and direct-current powersystems, both static and mobile

21ECOPAX INC.3600 Glover RoadEaston, PA 18040

52 Christina WongVice President of Operations

www.ecopaxinc.com484-546-0700

2/2Easton2006

Manufactures single-use foam and plastic takeout containers,retail food trays and consumer tabletop ware

22ATLAS MACHINING & WELDING INC.777 Smith LaneNorthampton, PA 18067

50 Harold Keeney and Lisa Keeney-Ziegenfus

CEO and President & ChiefOperating Officer

www.atlasmw.com610-262-1374

1/1Northampton

1981

Machining, welding, laser cutting, pressure vessels, mechanicalrepair and assembly, emergency services, vacuum truck service

23NATIONAL MAGNETICS GROUP INC.1210 Win DriveBethlehem, PA 18017

50 Paul B. OberbeckPresident

www.magneticsgroup.com610-867-7600

1/1Bethlehem

1991

Manufacturer of technical ceramics (magnetic and advancedmaterials) and powdered iron cores

24PURITAN PRODUCTS INC. B2290 Avenue ABethlehem, PA 18017

45 Louis V. DiRenzoPresident

www.puritanproducts.com610-866-4225

1/1Bethlehem

1987

Specialty chemicals and custom formulations for applications inpharmaceuticals, microelectronics, manufacturing and analyticallaboratories

25STOFANAK CUSTOM CABINETRY176 Nazareth PikeBethlehem, PA 18020

43 Philip J. StofanakPresident

www.stofanak.com610-759-9311

1/1Bethlehem

1951

Hand-crafted cabinets and millwork

DBA-doing business as DNR-did not respond NA-not applicable The Lehigh Valley Business list of Northampton County Manufacturers is limited to companies in Northampton County. Information came from the individual companiesand other LVB research. To access the Lehigh Valley Business online database, visit www.LVB.com/lists. Surveys available at www.LVBlists.com. Published August 13, 2018. B Owned by Avantor Performance Materials LLC.


LVB LIST


By JENNIFER MARANGOS Special for Lehigh Valley Business

In many ways, the story of Flexicon is the classic tale of the American dream.

A pioneer in the development of the flexible screw conveyor, Flexicon was founded in 1974 by the late William Gill and his son David in a spare building on the Gill property outside Fairfield, N.J.

“This simple conveyor consists of a steel spiral encased in a polymer tube, driven by a small motor,” Flexicon marketing manager Dan Capwell said. “These conveyors are both versatile and rugged and can move a wide variety of powders, semi-solids and blends.”

By 1977, Flexicon had moved to a 6,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Lodi, N.J.

The expansion continued from there. In 1988, the company moved to Phillipsburg and a new 30,000-square-foot facility.

By 2002, Flexicon had made its way into Pennsylvania, moving to its present location in Bethlehem Township.

In 2015 the company doubled the size of the Bethlehem Township plant to 180,000 square feet. Low-cost financing for that project was gained with the help of the Lehigh Valley Economic Develop-ment Corp.

“Our organization helped them obtain a $2 million Pennsylvania Industrial Devel-opment Authority loan and $4.5 million

in tax-exempt financing, which helped to significantly lower the cost of capital for the expansion project, and to add and retain jobs in the Lehigh Valley,” said Matthew Tuerk, LVEDC vice president of economic development and marketing.

Today, Flexicon is a global corpora-tion with manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa and sales-only offices, staffed by native speakers, in Ger-many, Spain, Singapore and Chile. David Gill is company president.

INTEGRATED WITH OTHER BRANDS

As Flexicon’s physical plant grew, its product line also expanded.

In addition to the flexible screw conveyor, Flexicon designs and builds pneumatic and tubular cable conveyors, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag fillers and bulk bag conditioners, drum and box tippers and small bag/container dumping stations.

All systems are designed, tested and built in the Bethlehem Township plant.

“We also have a staff of electrical and controls engineers that provide a full system integration service, allow-

MANUFACTURINGMANUFACTURINGELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHATRONICS • PRECISION MACHINING • WELDING • MORE

TRAINING FOR thE JOBS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW

877-440-7544 LCTI.ORG/GO

4500 EDUCATION PARK DRIVE • SCHNECKSVILLE, PA 18078

FLEXICON CORP. What: Designs and builds bulk material handling systems.

Location: Emrick Boulevard, Bethlehem Township (headquarters).

No. of employees: 175 locally.

Website: www.flexicon.com.

At Flexicon, bulk bag dischargers. The Bethlehem Township company designs and makes bulk material handling systems.PHOTO COURTESY OF FLEXICON CORP.

please see SUCCESS, page 14

‘The vast majority of our Bethlehem facility workforce lives in the Lehigh Valley, and the quality of life

here gives us a large pool of qualified and motivated workers.’ — Dan CapwellFlexicon Corp.


ing our customers to add Flexicon equip-ment to that of other manufacturers to build a plantwide processing system,” Capwell said.

EMPHASIS ON ENGINEERINGAlthough Flexicon’s largest markets are

food processors and chemical processors, any facility that moves powders, parti-cles or semi-solids is a potential Flexicon customer, Capwell said.

Capwell said Flexicon has several competitors, but none match the size and depth of the Flexicon product line.

“Nor can most of them approach the size of our engineering staff,” he added.

REINVESTMENT

One of the benefits of being a privately held company, according to Capwell, is the freedom it brings.

“We are able to reinvest in our business,” he said, “be it more product development, increased marketing, additional employees, design software, or larger facilities with improved machinery.”

In terms of the greatest challenges the company has faced as it has grown, Flexicon is subject to the usual economic and regulatory pressures that affect all businesses, Capwell said.

“In this robust U.S. economy, we do have issues with acquiring the talent necessary to meet the demands for our products,” he said.

QUALIFIED POOL OF WORKERS

While Flexicon has customers in the Greater Lehigh Valley, that the company’s customers are all over the world makes the firm’s success less tied to the strength of the regional economy than some other business-es might be, Capwell said.

However, Flexicon benefits from a vibrant Valley in one key way.

“The vast majority of our Bethlehem facility workforce lives in the Lehigh Valley, and the quality of life here gives

us a large pool of qualified and motivated workers,” Capwell said.

VITAL FOR THE REGIONTuerk said attracting strong manufac-

turers such as Flexicon are critical to the future of the Lehigh Valley.

“High-performance manufacturing has been identified as one of the target industrial sectors for the Lehigh Valley

based on the site-specific characteristics of the regional economy. Manufacturing is the region’s second-largest sector in terms of economic output …,” he said.

“Manufacturing is alive and well in the Lehigh Valley, and the growth and success of companies like Flexicon are a perfect il-lustration of this. … Having a world-class manufacturer like Flexicon in the Lehigh Valley is a boost for the entire region.”

There are two facilities on the Upper Macungie Township site of about 111 acres, which together provide employment for about 600 permanent and seasonal workers.

Officials said there is no room for plant growth at the site but expansion elsewhere in the Lehigh Valley was not out of the question, should demand drive the need.

WATER RUNS DEEPAndreus said several proprietary Nestlé

Waters wells were in the Greater Lehigh Valley and that Nestlé also works with the Lehigh County Authority for some of its groundwater sources.

Andreus is involved in ensuring the pristine spring resources – there are about seven in the region – continue to be sustainable.

“It’s become more challenging to identi-fy and preserve water resources to keep pace with consumer demand,” he said.

ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUSSusan Sampson, communications

manager of Lehigh County Authority, said Nestlé Waters has made the Lehigh Valley’s critical environmental issues its own.

“Nestlé Waters is a good customer and community partner,” she said. “Annually, Nestlé provides financial support and oth-er resources for many local efforts, events and organizations.”

She said Nestlé Waters had provided sponsorship and volunteers for watershed education events over the 20 years.

“[Their] local leadership team actively participates in our source water protec-tion and drought management initia-

tives,” Sampson said.

NEW MARKETSFranceschetti said the sparkling water

segment is a growth area for Nestlé Waters, a division of Nestlé Waters North America Inc., whose parent company, Nestlé, is based in Switzerland.

“We want to be part of that 30-35 percent sparkling market share,” he said, noting the company recently invested

about $79 million at the plant to add two bottling lines for sparkling water.

“For bottled water markets, clearly we want to be innovative,” Franceschetti said.

In addition to still and sparkling bot-tled water products, flavored waters such as Nestlé Splash is another growth market, Franceschetti said. Nestlé Splash flavors include wild berry, lemon, strawberry melon açaí grape and mandarin orange.

NESTLÉcontinued from page 7

The Nestlé Waters campus in Breinigsville has about 600 employees.PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND

SUCCESScontinued from page 13

The flexible screw conveyor, which helped to launch Flexicon in the 1970s.IMAGE COURTESY OF FLEXICON CORP.

A bag dumping station made by Flexicon.IMAGE COURTESY OF FLEXICON CORP.


in Bethlehem.“That’s an example of a building that

lends itself to subdivision,” Wolf said. The 235,000-square-foot-building has rail access and backup power capability.

Another example is The Riverside Business Center in Whitehall Township, which Wolf said he represented as a broker about 15 years ago. That adaptive reuse of an older building has a good mix of manufacturers, Wolf said.

LOWER CEILINGSThese buildings are going to be lower

in taxes and overall operating expenses because of their lower sizes, Wolf said.

In addition, these smaller buildings have lower ceilings, which is good for manufac-turers who can live with 20- to 24-foot-clear ceiling heights, Wolf said. Much of the new logistics/distribution facilities have higher ceilings of about 34 feet.

With the rise of e-commerce, ancillary businesses also are growing, prompting the need for small manufacturers such as companies that produce boxes and packages, plastics and food and beverage products, Wolf said.

FLEX CENTERAmong the facilities being built by

J.G. Petrucci is Hanover Flex Center II, a 193,000-square-foot industrial center, with one building at 99,000 square feet and a second one at 94,300 square feet.

The property is ready for construction and sits at Jaindl Boulevard and Town-ship Line Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

J.G. Petrucci also plans to rebuild the former Guardian Insurance office building at 3900 Burgess Place in Hanover Town-ship, Northampton County, into space for industrial use.

“That’s probably something we are going to get started on right away,” Correia said.

ONE INTO THREEGuardian Insurance consolidated

hundreds of its employees from three buildings in that area and moved them all to its new headquarters, a new building that opened two years ago farther north in the township off Route 512.

The former Guardian site will be-come Lehigh Valley Flex Center, a 470,000-square-foot project that includes one building at 160,000 square feet, a second one at 150,000 square feet and a third at 160,000 square feet.

“Depending on the users that come to us, we will break up those sites,” Correia said.

30,000 SQUARE FEET AND UPJ.G. Petrucci also completed a similar

project in Bethlehem’s LVIP VII for a building that manufacturer Alpla Inc. and another company occupy at 2120 Spillman Drive.

Correia said J.G. Petrucci is focusing on building sites from 100,000 to 150,000 square feet.

“We are seeing a lot of requests coming in for 30,000 square feet and up,” Correia said. “It all depends on the specific user.”

HIGHER PRICE TAGOne challenge is that it’s more ex-

pensive for builders to construct smaller facilities.

“The cost per square foot is going to in-

crease as you decrease the square footage,” Correia said.

Land prices are high, said Mike Adams, senior vice president of NAI Summit in South Whitehall Township.

“You put up a smaller building, rents will be higher,” he said.

That’s especially true for those who are building new structures.

TIGHT MARKETAdams said he doesn’t see anyone jump-

ing on the construction of small buildings in the industrial market.

Buildings in the 15,000-to-20,000 square-foot range are extremely hard to find.

“In the Valley, definitely it’s tight – and all over from the west end to the east,” Adams said. “Anything with 25-foot ceil-ings that you can break down [subdivide] is not around.”

SMALL SPACEScontinued from page 5

J.G. Petrucci Co. plans to rebuild the former Guardian Insurance office building (above) into space for industrial use.PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND

“cybersecurity needs to be paramount,” he said.

Taylor cited industrial espionage, ransomware and phishing as some of the biggest ways that hackers are attacking manufacturers.

EXPOSURETaylor said manufacturers always must

be diligent. Online access and devices that talk to each other go hand-in-hand when technology gets upgraded, he added. “We are living in a world that is both a blessing and a curse,” Taylor said. “In-formation is easy to get via the internet, but it is also exposing us to intrusion and greater vulnerability.”

Harford said he suggests to manufac-turing clients to update computers in the office along with technology on the floor.

And since most hacks are done through online access, these manufacturers should have stand-alone technology not linked to other computer systems.

SILENT ATTACKSA key defense tactic is that a cyberat-

tack can be minimized at a manufacturing facility when robots, technology on the floor and computers in the offices are sep-arate and distinct, according to Harford. “It all depends on how devices are configured. What computer does your internet banking? Try to make sure that this computer has no connection to other systems,” Harford said. “These attackers do not want to necessarily shut down your systems. Everyone worries about that, but it is more about silent attacks.

“Hackers are quietly gaining access, watching daily activities and taking their information without people knowing that they are in the system.”

‘These attackers do not want to necessarily shut down your systems. Everyone worries about

that, but it is more about silent attacks.’— Joe HarfordReclamere

HACKERScontinued from page 7

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