Positran Manufacturing hosts legislators, trade group
Area lawmakers, Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance come to Norristown
NORRISTOWN » There were no Disney-style fireworks exploding in the air, but a Norristown manufacturing company found itself drawing quite a bit of attention at its East Main Street facility on Thursday.
The multi-faceted Positran Manufacturing, a full service electronic contract manufacturing firm that makes control devices for the fireworks that entertain crowds at Disney World, welcomed a high-profile client, Independence LED Lighting, along with local legislators, who all got a glimpse into ways that energy efficiency companies like Independence are putting people to work and driving economic growth in Montgomery County and all over the region.
The tour was arranged by Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA), a Pennsylvania trade association, which, in 2017, had released a report in collaboration with Environmental Entrepreneurs that revealed that nearly 70,000 Pennsylvanians work in clean energy, with the vast majority working in energy efficient jobs.
Company history touts Independence as one of the first authentic manufacturers of commercial LED light fixtures, with installations ranging from the U.S. military to the Fortune 100,
with technology that saves at least 50 percent over more traditional lighting, lasts five times longer and is toxic free.
“We moved our LED lighting manufacturing from China to Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2010 because of the proximity to customers on the Northeast corridor and the quality of the regional workforce,” explained Charlie Szoradi, CEO of Berwyn-based Independence. “We credit Pennsylvania workers with our win of the Best Lighting Retrofit Award by the U.S. Green Building Council.”
The tour was prompted by KEEA’s mission to spread the word about the importance of choosing U.S. goods over those made in China, and the 10-yearold Act 129, a state energy efficiency policy that supports the still growing energy industry and provided Pennsylvania homeowners and business owners with more than $6 billion in benefits during its first seven years, according to a press release.
“We are Charlie’s manufacturer,” noted Positran’s Paul Ruzicka. “We build products for Charlie and a number of other companies throughout the United States. We compete with China but people come back to us because of our quality, on-time delivery and competitive pricing. We are right here in Norristown and have built products that went to the war in Iraq. We built blood infusers that sit on the soldiers’ chests. We do medical products, dental, automotive … pretty much across the board. All the fireworks at Disney World are made here.”
Ruzicka said the legislative interest from Thursday’s visitors like State Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, has alerted his company to the possible existence of untapped resources.
Positran recently funded the installation of some major new equipment, a Europlacer Iineo Plus Pick in Place machine that positions resistors and other components into a circuit board.
“This opened our eyes to thinking maybe there are some ways that we can get some development training for employees or capital equipment. Is there a way we can get some government credits for something likes this half-million-dollar machine we just purchased? There may be opportunities for us that we didn’t know about.”
KEEA Executive Director Matt Elliott noted: “Act 129 is an example of smart policy that is helping an innovative Pennsylvania employer like Independence LED expand its customer footprint. With Charlie’s products and Pennsylvania’s energy efficiency programs, residents and businesses are cutting their energy usage and lowering their utility bills.”
KEEA further reported that Act 129 requires each of the seven state electric distribution companies to reduce energy demand and consumption within its service territory.
The organization also noted that the energy efficiency workforce includes everyone from electricians, engineers and construction workers to financial analysts, marketing professionals and facility managers.