Hemmer Building Manufacturing Addition for Zotefoams
53,000 s.f. expansion will add jobs, increase company’s global capacity
WALTON, Ky. (April 8, 2015) ? Paul Hemmer Company (Hemmer) has broken ground on a 53,000 s.f. manufacturing addition to Zotefoams at their facility located at 55 Precision Drive in Walton, Ky.
Zotefoams, a world leader in cross-linked block foams, is investing nearly $22 million to expand its manufacturing capabilities at the company’s North American headquarters and create 25 new, local jobs.
Zotefoams Inc. is a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Zotefoams plc. For more than 30 years, Zotefoams plc imported its finished products to North America. In the late 1990s, the company opened Zotefoams Inc. in Walton. Zotefoams began to import partially processed raw materials from the U.K. and perform the final manufacturing in Northern Kentucky. Hemmer’s expansion project will allow Zoteboams to become a full-process site.
“Kentucky welcomes Zotefoams Inc.’s growth and success in northern Kentucky,” Gov. Beshear said. “We’re extremely pleased that a company of Zotefoams’ worldwide influence would choose to expand operations in the Commonwealth, which is another testament to Kentucky being the ideal place for companies to do business.”
The move is expected to help the company be more competitive in the U.S., better serve its existing customer base and significantly increase its global capacity. Zotefoams’ cross-linked block foams are used in a wide range of markets, including sports and leisure, packaging, transport, health care, toys, building, marine and the military. Through a unique production process, the company produces foams that have controlled properties and are of a strength, consistency, quality and purity superior to foams produced by other methods.
This is the second collaboration between Hemmer and Zotefoams. Hemmer has previously performed renovation work for Zotefoams, increasing their capacity and allowing modifications to their manufacturing processes.
“The business model of Paul Hemmer Company really resonated with me and our decision-making team at Zotefoams Inc.,” said Dan B. Catalano, president of North America, Zotefoams Inc. “We found the partnership approach that they emphasized throughout the process was legitimate and far from a typical supplier-vendor, transaction-related approach. Entering into this contract with Hemmer, as a partner, enables us to collaborate on the project and find better solutions, aligns our interests and success – it is ideal and truly the way businesses need to work together.”
“The cohesive, concerted effort and genuine interest in us and our business, coupled with the support and incentives, sent a powerful message to our board of directors of Zotefoams plc.”
The Hemmer team on the project includes Dave Middendorf, who will serve as Project Manager; and Joe Keller, who will be Superintendent. Paul Hemmer, Mike Hemmer, and Jack Levermann have been instrumental in project development. Randy Schultz of KZF Design is coordinating all project design/architecture. Dan Catalano is President of Zotefoams.
Zotefoams plc (LSE: ZTF) is a world leader in cellular material technology. Using a unique manufacturing process with environmentally-friendly nitrogen expansion, Zotefoams produces lightweight foams in Croydon, Surrey, U.K. and Walton, Kentucky, U.S.A. for diverse markets worldwide through its global sales force. Zotefoams also owns and licenses patented MuCell® microcellular foam technology from Woburn, Massachusetts, U.S.A. to customers worldwide and sells T-Tubes® advanced insulation systems made from patented ZOTEK® fluoropolymer foams. www.zotefoams.com Zotefoams® and ZOTEK® are registered trademarks of Zotefoams plc. MuCell is a registered trademark of Trexel Inc., T-Tubes is a registered trademark of UFP Technologies Inc.
Paul Hemmer Company is a construction management, building services and real estate development firm with a history in the Tri-state dating back to 1921, when it began operation as the John M. Hemmer Construction Company. Reorganized in 1982 as the Paul Hemmer Company, it has since developed for sale and investment more than six million square feet of industrial, commercial and retail property. Specializing in design/build industrial, commercial, and retail construction, Paul Hemmer Company also offers real estate services, including site selection, leasing, sales, and property and asset management. Visit us at: www.PaulHemmer.com. Follow us at: facebook.com/PaulHemmerCompany.
