Ribbon-cutting welcomes SPALECK USA
The German company has a new home for its U.S. operations in the Alta Vista Business Park.
A project years in the making reached a major milestone Wednesday as SPALECK USA officially opened its new Alta Vista facility, a venture local leaders said demonstrates what can happen when business, government and economic development organizations work together toward a common goal.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together elected officials, economic development leaders, business partners and SPALECK USA employees to celebrate the company’s new home in Fallowfield Township’s Alta Vista Business Park.
The opening of the facility was the result of a collaborative effort between SPALECK USA, the Mon Valley Alliance, Guardian Construction and local officials who helped move the project from concept to completion.
The Mon Valley Alliance worked with the company to identify Alta Vista as a location capable of supporting equipment demonstrations, customer visits, technical training and future growth, while Guardian Construction oversaw the construction and site development process.
MVA CEO Jamie Colecchi said the project serves as an example of how modern economic development succeeds through partnerships.
“This kind of progress doesn’t happen on its own,” Colecchi said. “It happens when partners come together, and true economic development, no matter where you’re at in this world, takes partnerships and it takes organizations and people coming together to work toward a common goal.”
Colecchi noted that the project began with what he described as an unusual website inquiry from SPALECK USA, which ultimately led to conversations about locating the company’s growing U.S. operations in the Mon Valley.
“Here we are today, 18 months or two years later,” he said. “When the right partners come together, progress can be realized.”
He credited support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Washington County, Fallowfield Township and the Ringgold School District, as well as infrastructure improvements that have helped transform Alta Vista into a successful industrial park.
According to Colecchi, the business park now supports nearly 900 jobs and has attracted tens of millions of dollars in investment over the past two decades.
Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman praised SPALECK USA for choosing Washington County for its newest investment and highlighted the area’s continued growth.
“There are so many amazing things happening right now,” Sherman said. “When you look at all the things that have to happen to have positive economic development, it’s jobs, jobs, jobs.”
Sherman called the project a “shining example of partnerships” involving local chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, elected officials, labor and industry.
“This was a German company that could go anywhere in the world, and they put their flag down in Washington County because they realize the growth, the potential, the low taxes and the great partnerships that we have,” Sherman said.
He added that the jobs created by projects such as SPALECK USA provide opportunities for workers to build careers and support their families in the region.
Fallowfield Township Supervisor Chairman Bruce Smith reflected on the decades-long vision behind the development of Alta Vista.
“Several years ago, a group of businessmen, a lot of whom aren’t with us anymore, had a vision of turning what was pretty much a useless slag dump into something that would attract business and growth and help improve the structure of Fallowfield Township,” Smith said.
He described the facility as another step toward realizing that vision.
“This has become the shining star of Fallowfield Township,” Smith said. “We welcome SPALECK USA and its management and employees to the township.”
Smith said township leaders hope the company’s arrival will help spur additional growth throughout the area.
“We have felt for a long time that development in the township is like a row of dominoes lined up, and it just takes one domino to tip to continue the whole row,” he said. “We hope this is part of what’s going to make that first domino tip.”
Dennis O’Hara, president of Guardian Construction, credited the teamwork involved in completing the project on schedule.
“What we found in doing this a long time is how well everybody worked together to make this happen,” O’Hara said.
He thanked Washington County, Fallowfield Township and the Mon Valley Alliance, as well as the engineering and architectural teams that helped bring the facility to life.
O’Hara noted that coordinating the project involved challenges beyond the construction site, including working with a company headquartered across the Atlantic Ocean.
“The camaraderie that we were able to do, we were able to pull that together, and I think we met the dates that SPALECK wanted to see and get in and get operating,” he said.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, said the opening represents another success story for both Washington County and the Alta Vista Business Park.
“It’s always wonderful to welcome either a new industry coming into Washington County or expansion,” Bartolotta said.
She noted that SPALECK USA’s new 14,400-square-foot facility represents a $3.9 million investment and offers opportunities for future expansion.
“The investment really is longstanding,” Bartolotta said, referring to SPALECK’s history dating back to 1869. “We’re thrilled that we could be part of it right here in Washington County.”
Bartolotta also praised the Mon Valley Alliance and the public-private partnerships that helped make the project possible.
“What you guys do is incredible,” she said. “It’s changing the economy of not just Washington County, but the entire region.”
For SPALECK USA, the ceremony marked both the opening of a new facility and a celebration of the company’s 10-year presence in the United States.
Martin Hurson, SPALECK USA’s sales director for North America, reflected on the company’s journey since first entering the U.S. market.
“I can remember landing on a plane up in New York, getting out of the plane and starting to knock doors and trying to introduce SPALECK USA to a whole lot of people who didn’t even want to open the door,” Hurson said. “A lot has happened in that time, and we’ve made a lot of progress.”
Hurson said the company never lost sight of its mission to establish a substantial presence in the United States while remaining close to customers and partners.
“This is a fantastic move for SPALECK,” he said. “It’s not just about moving to a 14,000-foot facility. It’s not about more square footage or better cranes. It’s actually about commitment.”
He said the new location represents a commitment to customers, employees, the Mon Valley region and continued investment in the American market.
“We’re delighted to be here,” Hurson said. “We’re delighted to see you all, and we thank you very much for the warm welcome.”
