Technical Process and Engineering Inc., a manufacturer of continuous mixers and compounding extruders, will invest $1.6 million to add 6,000 square feet to its 22,000-square-foot plant, nearly doubling its workforce in Lehighton, Pa., near Allentown.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced the news July 2. The machinery maker will create 16 news jobs and retain its current 18 jobs. The company also will add equipment.
TPEI CEO Harold Schafer said the company has already added five new employees.
Technical Process and Engineering makes twin-screw continuous mixers that feed its single-screw compounding extruders. Schafer said the turnkey production lines are used for making highly filled color concentrates, additives and other materials.
Slate Altenburg, after an 11-year career with a major custom compounder, founded TPEI in 1979 to provide spare parts. TPEI expanded to build continuous mixers, developing its first line of mixers in 1985.
“In 1985, TPEI, working with the newly formed Carbon County Development Corp., received its first Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loan and turned what was a burned-out barn into a world-class manufacturer of capital equipment for the rubber and plastics industries.”
TPEI received funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, including a 10-year loan of $340,000 at 1.5 percent interest from the Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund, a $30,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant, $32,000 in job creation tax credits and a $7,200 training grant for its new employees.
The Governor's Action Team, a group of economic professionals who work with business considering expanding or locating in Pennsylvania, worked with the Carbon County Economic Development board.
Schafer said the company's export business has been growing, especially to Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.