CaptiveAire, the nation’s leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems and an emerging manufacturer of HVAC equipment, is doubling the size of its Bedford plant.
“We are thrilled to expand our Bedford manufacturing facility,” said Bob Luddy, CaptiveAire President. “This growth will provide the capacity we need to improve the manufacturing quality of our products. The additional truck bays will enable faster shipping times, shortening lead times for our customers. We are truly honored to have the strong support of the Bedford community and we are grateful for the excellent performance of our production teams. We look forward to continued success in Bedford.”
The company opened the doors of its Northeast Manufacturing Center in the Bedford Business Park in 2008. At that time, CaptiveAire purchased a 67,000 sq. ft. spec building and expanded it to 84,000 sq. ft.
CaptiveAire will now add an additional 84,000 sq. ft. to the facility. The total project cost is $11 million with $5 million to be invested in building construction and $6 million for new equipment acquisition. The Bedford plant serves its Mid-Atlantic, New England and Canada customers.
The company’s integrated kitchen ventilation packages include hoods, exhaust fans, electrical controls, direct-fired heaters, grease duct systems, fire suppression systems, grease filters and utility distribution systems. It’s most recent addition to its product line is a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS), a highly efficient and technologically advanced commercial HVAC unit.
The company maintains a network of over 90 sales offices in the U.S. and Canada and six strategically located manufacturing plants in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Oklahoma, California and Florida. It employs over 1,300 people with approximately 130 jobs at the Bedford facility. An additional 12 new jobs are projected as a part of this project. The company is using a local contractor, Clark Contractors, Bedford, PA.
CaptiveAire is continually voted “Best in Class” by industry dealers and consultants, according to Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine. “Every one of our employees works hard to provide the fast, high quality service our customers need and have come to expect,” noted Luddy.
The North Carolina-based company began in a one-room facility in 1976. In 2016,
CaptiveAire sales exceeded $400 million.