Air-Flo Manufacturing of Elmira Heights, N.Y., is expanding its operations with the purchase of the 310,000-square-foot former Belden Connectivity facility in Horseheads, N.Y., according to the office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Air-Flow expanding with acquisition of 310,000-square-foot former Belden Connectivity facility in Horseheads, N.Y. (Google Maps)
Once the sale is complete, Air-Flo intends to consolidate its truck body and accessory manufacturing operations at the Horseheads site. It also intends to install new production lines that should create 40 new jobs. Air-Flo also will retain 200 full-time positions, the company said.
Air-Flo expects to complete the $3million project this fall.
“Air-Flo’s continued success and expansion will help to boost economic growth in Chemung County and across the Southern Tier,” Cuomo said in a release. “We will continue to invest in companies that are committed to creating jobs and growing their business in New York.”
Empire State Development (ESD) is supporting Air-Flo’s growth by providing up to $900,000 in incentives, the governor’s office said. Up to $475,000 of that will come through a Southern Tier Regional Council Economic Development Grant. Up to $425,000 will be provided through the Excelsior Tax Credit Program and is tied to job creation commitments, according to the state.
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Chemung County is also providing incentives for the expansion plan.
“Thanks to New York State’s support, businesses like Air-Flo are increasing their investment and creating more good paying jobs in their community,’’ said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. “Air-Flo’s expansion is another significant boost for Chemung County and the region.”
Air-Flo Manufacturing
About Air-Flo Manufacturing
Air-Flo Manufacturing was founded in the 1940s by three brothers looking for a better way to harvest onions. To automate the old style of manually harvesting onions, the company’s founders developed and patented a mechanical harvester. The design used the principle of “air flow” to operate the harvester.
During the 1960s, Air-Flo moved into manufacturing truck equipment with the introduction of ice control spreaders. By the 1980s, it added dump truck bodies and the Flo N’ Dump multi-purpose dump body to a growing line of truck equipment. In 2000, Air-Flo expanded its manufacturing facilities, opening a new plant in Elmira, NY, which is dedicated to manufacturing the Pro-Class and Pro-Max dump bodies, and the Quick-Silver Snow Plow, according to published reports.
Recently, Air-Flo was awarded several state contracts for building Class 8 Department of Transportation (DOT) dump truck packages and, as a result, plans to add more manufacturing capacity in the future, the company said.
Final Word
“Air-Flo is proud to announce the expansion of our manufacturing operations in Chemung County,” said Chuck Musso, Air-Flo’s president. “The growth and success of our company is directly related to the high quality of the truck equipment that is built by our great hard working employees who have made this area their home.”
