The Phoenix Tube Company, a leading manufacturer of stainless steel products, is expanding in the Lehigh Valley. (photo courtesy Phoenix Tube)

A leading manufacturer of stainless steel products is expanding its operation in Bethlehem, a move that will result in the creation and retention of at least 165 total jobs in the Lehigh Valley.

Phoenix Tube Company, Inc. is constructing a 52,000-square-feet facility that will allow it to add a new production line to manufacture small diameter stainless steel, titanium, and nickel alloy pressure tubing.

The new Phoenix Tube facility will be located at 1085 Win Drive in Bethlehem. (image courtesy Google Maps)

The new facility will be located on a two-acre company-owned parcel at 1085 Win Drive in Bethlehem, adjacent to the company’s existing facility, according to Phoenix Tube CEO David Reale.

“All of us at Phoenix Tube are very grateful to the state and local leaders who worked on our behalf to aid in this project,” said Andrew Reale, President, and David Reale, CEO, of Phoenix Tube. “We are very excited to add to our product offerings and enter new markets that will enable us to continue to grow and expand our company. For over 40 years we have been a proud member of both the state and local business communities, and this commitment further strengthens our relationships. We look forward to many more decades of being a successful corporate partner with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and with our many devoted and loyal team members.”

Phoenix Tube has committed to investing $8.1 million into the project, creating 30 new full-time jobs and retaining 135 existing jobs within the next three years, according to the state.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) provided assistance with the project, connecting Phoenix Tube with the Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Action Team, which works with businesses considering locating or expanding in the state.

LVEDC is also still actively working with Phoenix Tube on a potential Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan to support the development of the building on the land the company now owns.

“It’s great to see Phoenix Tube’s continued growth here in the Lehigh Valley with the help of the Commonwealth,” said LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham. “Phoenix Tube is part of the expanding manufacturing sector in the Lehigh Valley, which last year became one of the 50 largest markets in the U.S. with more than 700 manufacturers employing 35,000 people and generating nearly $8 billion in annual GDP.”

Phoenix Tube is one of the world’s leaders in stainless steel long products, with a focus on ornamental and structural tubing, as well as processed flat bar. With a manufacturing facility of over 250,000 square feet located on 15 acres in Bethlehem, the company is one of the largest in North America.

“Phoenix Tube has called the commonwealth home for decades and we are thrilled to see them grow,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “This investment will create new, good paying manufacturing jobs that will boost the city and regional economy, strengthen our manufacturing industry, and help a longtime Pennsylvania company continue to thrive and succeed.”

The company received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for $2.65 million in PIDA loans, a $90,000 Pennsylvania First grant, and a $50,000 workforce development grant to train its new workers.

Phoenix Tube has also been encouraged to apply for the department’s Enterprise Zone Tax Credit and Manufacturing Tax Credit programs, according to the DCED.

Through the Governor’s Action Team, Wolf has invested more than $17 billion over the past seven years to support 418 completed projects, create more than 46,000 new jobs, and retain more than 142,000 jobs in Pennsylvania.