Equipment manufacturer Air-Flo Manufacturing will expand operations in Chemung County, the office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday.
The company will purchase the 310,000-square-foot former Belden Connectivity facility in Horseheads, NY, where it will consolidate its truck body and accessory manufacturing operations and install new production lines, creating 40 new jobs. Air-Flo also will retain 200 full-time positions “thanks to support from the state.”
Air-Flo expects to complete the project, with a total cost of $3 million, fall of 2018.
“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. 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.
Chemung County is also providing incentives for the expansion plan.
“As I travel and visit our upstate communities, I see the results of this Administration’s unwavering commitment to creating an environment that allows businesses to grow,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“Thanks to New York State’s support, businesses like Air-Flo are increasing their investment and creating more good paying jobs in their community. Air-Flo’s expansion is another significant boost for Chemung County and the region.”
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.
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.
“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 hardworking employees that have made this area their home.”
For more information about Air-Flo Manufacturing, click here.