A former Steel factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, reopens to make solar trackers.
According to cbsnews, BCI Steel and Nextracker are working together to serve the solar power industry with the reopening of the steel factory in Leetsdale.
CEO of BCI Steel, Matt Carroll said, “This is a big day for BCI Steel. We as a region have not been manufacturing here for a long time. We’re fixing that, bringing it back to life,” reported cbsnews.
Solar tracker parts will be supplied in Pennsylvania, Ohio, areas of the Heartland, and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Carroll said the factory is in the perfect location near the Ohio River, railway, and I-79, reported cbsnews.
“From a transportation standpoint, it makes a lot of sense,” said Carroll. “We’re also in the valley. The workforce here — we’ve got second and third generation steelworkers. We found some really really good ones.” reports cbsnews.
Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald says, “It’s going to put a lot of our people to work, but it also shows our commitment to investing in the future. The bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed last year is going to put a lot of money into these types of projects and this type of investment in energy and sustainability, and it’s an exciting time to be in Pittsburgh.”
According to cbsnews, U.S. Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the ultimate goal is to be energy independent and only manufacture products in America.
“I chose Pittsburgh because Pittsburgh is the emblematic community that has risen from the ashes,” said Granholm. “What we’re seeing now is Pittsburgh is also leading in energy and in manufacturing and other countries want to learn what is it is that Pittsburgh did that made it successful.”
Carroll gave local and national leaders a tour of the facility and said that he believes this will be yet another success. He plans to send out the first shipment on July 11.
