Roof curbs business moving to Mount Union

Curbs Plus Inc. production facility will create jobs

Mount Union Borough is set to see new industry move in.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday that Curbs Plus Inc., a manufacturer of roof curbs for HVAC units, plans to establish a new production facility in Mount Union Borough, Huntington County, and will create 26 new, full-time jobs over the next three years.

Hiring is set to begin this month, a statement from Wolf read.

"It will be great. Any new jobs would be great. At one time, the borough employed people at three brickyards, a sewing factory and shoe factory, but those factories began to decline in the 1970s," Cindy Hobbs, borough secretary, said. "We do have an Easter grass factory. It's our only factory right in the borough. These new jobs will be great."

Current census data pegs the borough's population at 2,400. At one time, the borough's population was 5,000, Hobbs said, linking the decline to job loss. The borough's major employers are currently the grass factory and school district, she said.

Curbs Plus will occupy a 56,000-square-foot manufacturing facility located at 208 N. Division St., Mount Union Borough, and will invest more than $717,000 in the project including building modifications required for the company's manufacturing process and the purchase of new equipment.

"Curbs Plus is yet another manufacturer that has chosen Pennsylvania as the best place to nurture its business," a statement from Wolf read.

"Not only will the company create 26 full-time jobs, but its reuse of a vacant facility combined with a significant capital investment infused into the local economy promises great news for the region," the statement said.

Curbs Plus received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a $50,000 Pennsylvania First program grant, $11,700 from the Workplace and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania for employee training, and $26,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed when the jobs have been created. Curbs Plus has also been encouraged to apply for a $250,000 low-interest loan through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority.

"For the last two years, we have been searching for the best location for a much-needed expansion," said Curbs Plus Vice President Marc Brower. "We focused our search on Ohio, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.  After evaluating the location, building costs, taxes and incentive packages, Mount Union was the obvious choice. We are very excited about the opportunities ahead for Curbs Plus Inc., our customers, and our employees."

Attracting Curbs Plus to Mount Union was a collaborative effort among the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, the Huntingdon County Investment Board and the Governor's Action Team -- a group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

"Huntingdon County Business and Industry was happy to help Curbs Plus move into the area, assisting the company locate information and connecting them to resources as they ramp up production in the Mount Union location," said Bob Reitman, executive director of Huntingdon County Business and Industry. "Curbs Plus is poised to become a true asset to the community."

Mirror Staff Writer Russ O'Reilly is at 946-7435.