Crystal Window & Door Systems Expands in Pennsylvania
- Manufacturer Purchases Building and Property in Northeast PA for Production -
Working with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce’s industrial and economic development affiliates, Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company (SLIBCO) and the Scranton Plan, national manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems, headquartered in New York, recently purchased a 226-acre property in northeast Pennsylvania on October 1, 2015 to expand its production capabilities. The property, which is comprised of a parcel of undeveloped land and a developed parcel with a 336,500-ft2 partially outfitted building, was purchased for $5 million.
"Crystal Windows' acquisition in Pennsylvania is the next step in our long history of expansion and growth," said Thomas Chen, Chairman and CEO for Crystal. "For 25 years, Crystal has provided quality products to the construction and fenestration industries, and once up and running, this new production facility will enable us to continue to serve our growing customer base across the nation for a long time to come."
The newly acquired property is located in Benton Township (with a small portion in Scott Township) in Pennsylvania, just north of Scranton, a mile from Interstate 81. Originally owned by Northrop Grumman and then by Owens-Corning, the property was partially but never fully outfitted for production operations. The facility was bought by The Wolfington Companies of King of Prussia, PA and its affiliates in 2003 and has not been further developed. Crystal Windows is looking to change that, and plans major interior renovation and outfitting for production and administrative spaces, as well as major equipment acquisition for a number of vinyl and aluminum window assembly processes.
“This is great news for the greater Scranton area and we are happy that another manufacturer is choosing to expand and create new jobs in Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin. “Governor Wolf is committed to ensuring that we build a climate that attracts business and supports our manufacturers so that we continue to realize successes like today’s announcement.”
The company plans initial production of windows and the hiring of 30 to 50 workers to begin early next year. Employment will ramp up as production increases and is expected to exceed 300 when the factory reaches full capacity in a few years. In the long term, further development of the property may result in even more hires.
Crystal's chronology of significant expansion efforts since its startup in New York City in 1990 include an 85,000-ft2 Chicago factory in 1996, a large new 205,000-ft2 facility in Queens, NY in 2001, the 2003 acquisition of a 131,000-ft2 aluminum extrusion plant in Union, MO and the launch of a 116,000-ft2 Riverside, CA manufacturing operation in 2012. With the latest acquisition in Pennsylvania, the manufacturing footprint of Crystal Window & Door Systems and its affiliates is approaching one million square feet. The company also operates sales and distribution offices in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis and Southern California. With over 500 employees nationally, Crystal distributes products in over 40 states and the company is ranked amongst the top 35 window and door manufacturers in North America.
Crystal has worked closely with The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce for almost two years to identify opportunities in the region, to facilitate important introductions, and to iron out the details of this specific project. "I would like to thank everyone at The Chamber for all their hard work in bringing this purchase to fruition. I'd like to particularly recognize Chamber President Robert Durkin, and his economic development experts Andy Skrip and Molly Lorenzen for their professionalism," said Mr. Chen.
The real estate broker representatives for the deal were Kim Meincke and Ruth Wang of Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL). Law firms representing the buyer were Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, PA and The O'Brien Law Group of Susquehanna, PA. Law firms Silverang, Donohoe, Rosenzweig & Haltzman of St. Davids, PA and Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin of Lansdale, PA represented the seller. Financing for the acquisition is provided by Webster Bank. Site inspections, legal and engineering reviews, and property appraisals have been conducted by several local and regional Pennsylvania firms.
"We are excited to expand in Northeast Pennsylvania. We know the potential for further manufacturing expansion here is terrific. As we develop this new facility and expand our production operations, we will not only need new workers but also a wide variety of services and materials from regional Pennsylvania suppliers. We're looking forward to being an important part of the community," said Mr. Chen.
