Palram Americas, a manufacturer of polycarbonate and PVC sheets, has added a new state-of-the-art polycarbonate line, Line 44. This new line will add the ability to produce optical, security and containment grade products, and sheets or coils up to 104 inches wide untrimmed. Palram plans to celebrate the opening of the new line with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, plant tours and lunch on May 1.
Capabilities of this latest addition include up to 15mm thick general purpose polycarbonate sheet, co-extruded UV (1 or 2 sides), sign-grade sheets and coils, clear, whites and colors, fire-rated sheets and high optics sheets.
“Line 44 will bring a greater ability to serve our existing customers, while also attracting new customers, and tackling new markets,” stated Tim Cronrath, product manager for Palram. “Palram has applied its resources, capital, ingenuity and innovation to ensure stable growth.”
This new line is just the latest building block of growth for the company. Palram opened the polycarbonate plant in Kutztown in 2000 and, over the ensuing years, built two large additions to the original plant, and in 2007, added an entire PVC manufacturing facility. Initial plans for the most technologically-advanced line in the Palram family began in October 2011, the infrastructure construction started in April 2011, with assembly of the line beginning in October 2011, production trials in December 2011, and Line 44 was finally completed with the installation of the clean room in March 2012.
Line 44 will also help to create 40 new jobs and to assist in retaining 202 current positions. Palram has won The Morning Call’s Reader’s Choice Award in 2009 and 2011 for the “Best Place to Work – Manufacturing.”
