The Sunnyside Road facility in Bedford.

In central Pennsylvania, JLG Industries Inc is reopening a plant in Bedford, building a research-and-development (R&D) building in McConnellsburg and boosting operations in Shippensburg.

For the multiple projects, the State of Pennsylvania has offered JLG a financial package totalling USD4.78 million plus the possibility of a USD10.0 million loan through a job bank program.

Over several months, JLG discussed its needs with Governor Edward Rendell, other state officials and three Pennsylvanian economic development agencies. In the state, JLG currently employs 2,000 people and the number could exceed 3,000 in three years.

The Sunnyside Road facility in Bedford will make aerial work platforms, including vertical mast lifts and Tow-Pro towable boom lifts. It will reach full, first-shift production by mid-2006 and eventually employ up to 260 people. New equipment will cost USD1.2 million.

In Bedford, JLG is consolidating manufacturing, sales, marketing, engineering and administrative functions of its commercial solutions group, a strategic unit focusing on supplying lifts for major retail operations.

JLG began manufacturing scissor lifts in the Sunnyside Road plant in 1997 and idled the facility during a 2003 economic downturn. Production moved to Shippensburg.

Changes in McConnellsburg will add 335 jobs. JLG will invest at least USD7.0 million in constructing a 35,000-square-foot building for the R&D unit, spend USD300,000 on new equipment at its existing Fulton County Business Park military rebuild facility and expand its existing McConnellsburg manufacturing facility.
In Shippensburg, JLG plans to invest USD1.8 million for equipment to expand manufacturing operations. JLG expects to create at least 240 new jobs in Shippensburg.

The financial package includes USD2.25 million through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, USD1.48 million in job creation tax credits, a USD800,000 opportunity grant and USD250,000 in job training assistance.

"The state worked diligently with JLG to help our expansion plans move forward and create additional job opportunities," said Bill Lasky, chairman of McConnellsburg-based JLG.