HAZLETON - Nonwovens manufacturer PFNonwovens has inaugurated the US$75 million expansion at its Humboldt Industrial Park plant in Pennsylvania, an upgrade that includes the installation of the latest R5 technology from Reicofil.
PFN held a formal inauguration and grand opening of their new manufacturing Line 9 in Hazleton, PA earlier this month. In attendance for the tour and “Nonwoven” cutting ceremony were local legislators, members of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, CAN DO, and original equipment manufacturers from Germany, France and Italy.
Back in April of 2020, PFNonwovens approved a new nonwoven line investment for Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Construction of the over 170,000 square-foot expansion began in the fourth quarter 2020. Construction and equipment installation were completed in December 2021.
This expansion included one state-of-the-art technology nonwoven manufacturing line as well as production space for additional investment in the near future.
The new line is Reicofil’s latest R5-Technology, the first in North America, and is equipped with a state-of-the-art specialized and proprietary fabric enhancement unit that will create premium soft fabrics for the North American hygiene market. The line will also have bi-component capability to produce bio-sourced and other specialty products. Importantly, this line will also increase the capacity to produce medical fabrics in Hazleton to address medical health crises, such as COVID19.
This investment confirms that PFN, and its Czech Republic family owners, R2G, are committed long-term to the global growth of PFN, and the strengthening of their position in the nonwovens industry. "PFN is dedicated to satisfying the demands of the market by providing innovative and high-quality products manufactured using state-of-the-art technology coupled with best-in-class product development," the company said. "This investment in Hazleton also solidifies that PFN is committed to the Hazleton area and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
This expansion project is the first since PFN assumed ownership from First Quality Nonwovens in 2018. First Quality Nonwovens expanded the original facility seven times between 1999 and 2009.
This expansion has also created 41 new jobs for the region.
