Ala. air filter company will expand to New Kensington
Alabama- based air filter manufacturer Filterbuy Inc. has picked New Kensington as the first location to expand its operations in the Northeastern part of the country.
The move is expected to create at least 120 new jobs and lead to the redevelopment of an old, underutilized industrial building in Westmoreland County.
Gov. Tom Wolf applauded the deal for bringing jobs to the region and generating at least $2.15 million in investments for building improvements and equipment.
“We welcome Filterbuy to southwestern Pennsylvania as it increases its regional presence, creates jobs, and provides high-quality, American-made products to customers across the county,” Mr. Wolf said.
Filterbuy is a family-owned and -operated company that sold its first air filter in 2013 and has since grown to about 1,000 employees in Alabama, Florida, Utah and now Pennsylvania.
The company will enter into a long-term lease of 137,000 square feet of production and distribution space from the Redevelopment Authority of the city of New Kensington to be used as the company’s first operation in the Northeast. Through this expansion, the company will increase its one-day delivery footprint in the region.
As a result of the pandemic, Filterbuy is producing each of its USA-made filters to match hospital-grade standards. The opening of the New Kensington plant was partially fueled by an increased demand for quality air filtration products during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Job creation is and has always been intertwined with our core values,” said David Heacock, founder and CEO of Filterbuy, based in Talladega, Ala. “Given the increased demand for high-quality air filtration products now and well into the future, we are one of the few companies adding jobs throughout the pandemic.
“We’re proud to be able to say the New Kensington plant will bring more than 60 jobs to the region by the end of 2021 and more than 100 jobs by the end of 2022.”
The Department of Community and Economic Development offered Filterbuy a $300,000 Pennsylvania First Grant as an incentive to open a plant in the state.
“On behalf of the Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners, we welcome Filterbuy to the county and congratulate the city of New Kensington on this exciting news,” said board chairman Sean Kertes. “This investment is just another example that Westmoreland is positioned well for business expansion.”