ERIE, PA.—Yates Co. is spending $3 million to boost production at its Erie headquarters.
President Jeff Yates said a 34,000-square-foot addition will be used to add capacity, including four new extrusion lines. The firm now operates 15 lines. The expansion will give it 50,000 square feet of total work space.
Yates hopes the project will attract larger-volume customers that need a manufacturer to produce, package and ship their products directly. The firm extrudes components for a range of markets.
``We are installing four new shipping docks and a packaging and labeling area in the expansion,'' he said. ``Today, customers are looking for that value-added service.''
The firm employs 68, but expects to add workers once the new lines are installed. It reported 1998 extrusion sales of $7.5 million.