Whiting to Make Lightweight Doors for Green Delivery Trucks
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New York state economic development incentives helped persuade Whiting Door Manufacturing Corp. to invest $4 million to expand its Akron facility to make innovative lightweight doors for zero-emission and low-emission internal combustion engine delivery vehicles over the next 10 years.
State Sen. Patrick Gallivan congratulated Whiting Door on its expansion.
“This exciting project supports the company’s existing workforce, creates new jobs and helps build the local economy,” Gallivan said. “Whiting’s commitment to western New York and its partnership with Empire State Development sends a positive message about our community and our region.”
Hope Knight , CEO and commissioner of ESD said, “Whiting Door, a community-dedicated company doing business across the globe, is one of the top performers of western New York’s manufacturing economy. With a highly skilled workforce and plans for a new state-of-the-art facility, the company is in an excellent position to create more jobs and products, and to grow the regional economy.”
Knight
Established in 1953, the family-owned-and-managed company serves the transportation industry by focusing on designing doors that are easy to install, operate and maintain. Since its early days when Whiting developed the overhead roll-up door for trucks and trailers, Whiting Door has grown with additional facilities in California and partners in more than 14 countries.
Whiting was recently engaged to manufacture lightweight doors in support of a large contract to produce up to 150,000 zero-emission and low-emission internal combustion engine delivery vehicles over the next decade, an ESD announcement noted.
“Whiting’s expansion project supports the facility, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and warehousing space needed, and will be built by 2025 to support full-volume production,” the announcement also said.
Known for its custom-engineered products, Whiting Door is a leading designer and supplier with a full line of dry freight, insulated and specialty roll-up doors and swing doors. The company has International Organization for Standardization certification in the roll-up door industry.
Vice President Ben Whiting stated, “It is exciting to move toward production after a seven-year design, development and bid process. Our engineering and production teams were instrumental in bringing this from concept to reality. We evaluated several options to support the project from different geographies, but ESD helped close the gap, allowing us to build at home.”
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ESD is providing the company with up to $500,000 in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits in exchange for job creation commitments. Whiting Door plans to add 25 jobs. Also, the New York Power Authority’s board of trustees was considering awarding $595,000 through its Western New York Power Proceeds Fund to support the company’s expansion and job creation.
State Assembleyman Stephen Hawley said, “I’m proud to see that Whiting Door, a local, family-owned company is expanding its facilities in Akron. Businesses like this provide much-needed employment opportunities for our citizens, which in turn support the local economy. I look forward to seeing the impact that these new investments will have on our community.”
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