Gonnella Frozen Products
“Gonnella had a growing base of sales in the eastern United States, so when we needed additional capacity, we started looking in that part of the country. Also, about two-thirds of the U.S. population lives east of Ohio, which means there is great opportunity for continued growth and expansion. One of our major suppliers is about 45 minutes from the Hazleton area. When it comes to the Hazleton area itself, the proximity of Interstates 80 and 81 and the very dedicated labor force were key factors. Being closer to those major highways has made it easier for us to respond to our customers’ needs faster. It has also allowed our customers to realize savings on freight. Having our facility in the Hazleton area has lead to operational costs that are lower overall. We consider the location central and a driving factor in our overall success.”
Drew Hoben, Plant Manager
Gonnella Frozen Products
Tootsie Roll Industries
“Our company initially chose Hazleton because of the logistics of the area and how that would benefit Tootsie Roll in our distribution operations. The workforce and location have continued to be a benefit for us. Since we’re near the crossroads of Interstates 80 and 81, trucks entering and leaving our facility can easily access roads to the north, south, east or west and we have the ability to attract many trucking firms. Compared with other Tootsie Roll facilities in the United States, we are number one in all measurable categories.”
Scott Cox, General Manager
Tootsie Roll Industries
The Hershey Company
“Hazleton is an important part of our total U.S. manufacturing network. Our highly productive employees at Hazleton make some of our biggest brands and most popular products, helping us to continue to grow our business here in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world. It is a key part of our overall chocolate manufacturing capability and we are very proud of the great work and great products our employees at Hazleton make every day. Hazleton is also a terrific place to do business. Hazleton also provides a strong pool of candidates when we have open positions. Each time we look for new employees, the number of applicants
exceeds what we need. The location also is ideal for convenient access to our customers, suppliers and other Hershey facilities through the local interstate highways that run through the Hazleton area.”
Gene Tannler, Senior Director of Manufacturing
The Hershey Company
United States Cold Storage
“We are very proud of our workforce and their pride and commitment to the job as well as their continual efforts to make us better at what we do. Also, the location is great, as the proximity to interstate travel always plays an important role within our building plans.”
Ryan Horvath, General Manager
United States Cold Storage
Tech Packaging
“We chose the area in large part because of its logistics, including the proximity to Interstates 81 and 80. About 75 percent of everything we ship goes into New York or the Baltimore area for Costco warehouse stores. Since our company has been experiencing such a large volume of growth, we wanted a bigger location and saw the site in Humboldt Industrial Park as perfect for our needs.”
Bob Janes, Company Founder and President
Tech Packaging