Harmar-based company's expansion into Tarentum adds jobs
A Harmar-based shipping and packaging company is expanding into Tarentum and adding up to 30 full-time and part-time local jobs.
Don Fidler, owner of Tripak Industries, said on Thursday that the company is expected to begin operations in the borough by early February. The new branch, which will serve as a FedEx shipping center, will be based in the former LaRusse Distributing building along West Sixth Avenue.
For more than 70 years, that building served as the site of LaRusse's Anheuser-Busch master distributor. The distributing business was sold in 2012 by owner Phil LaRusse Jr. to Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale Inc., southwestern Pennsylvania's largest distributor. LaRusse sold the building to Tripak last month for $695,000.
Attempts to contact LaRusse failed.
Fidler said Tripak chose Tarentum as its first expansion location for the access it offers to Westmoreland, Armstrong and Butler counties, where the company is looking to increase its presence.
“Principally, we see Tarentum as an area with opportunity and some tremendous growth potential,” Fidler said. “Our intention is to hire people from the area for contract packaging and assembly packaging, some of which will be carried out through temp agencies. We are also interviewing for sales and accounting positions.
“We're going to meet with some politicians in the area, too, because we're not sure how it's going to go just yet. I think we're the first business in a while that's moved into Tarentum.”
Tarentum Mayor Carl Magnetta could not recall offhand the last time a business of Tripak's magnitude moved into the borough. The company currently employs 10 people full-time and many more temporarily at its Harmar location along Route 910, Fidler said. It moved from Pittsburgh to Harmar four years ago to accommodate the annual growth it's experienced since its inception in 2004.
Magnetta called Tripak's expansion into Tarentum a “victory, not just for the borough, but for the entire Alle-Kiski Valley.”
“It's tremendous for our whole area anytime a business or industry can come in and create jobs,” Magnetta said. “This is what we need. Not everyone around here goes to college, so you hope it would be one of those industries that provides stable work. Everything we've heard about them sounds good, and it sounds good for the borough.”
Tripak's plans in Tarentum don't end with the LaRusse Distributing building. Already, Fidler is making plans to build a separate Tripak facility on an adjacent parking lot that would double as a sports facility.
Brandy Pomaybo, owner of Brandy Marie's Gymnastics along Second Avenue, said hers will be among the several athletic clubs that plan to rent the space upon its completion. The new facility, she said, should help her club grow in numbers from the current 300 and offer a larger practice space.
“I think it's going to be extremely beneficial to Tarentum,” Pomaybo said. “I think we will get kids from all around the area because of its location right off of Route 28.”
No further details for the facility were available this week with plans still in the preliminary stages, Fidler said. The parking lot on which it will be built was included in the parcel bought in the deal with LaRusse last month.
As for the main facility, Fidler is anxiously awaiting its February opening.
“The taxes in Allegheny County are almost twice as much as they would have been if we bought in New Kensington, so there is somewhat of a risk,” Fidler said. “We saw an opportunity, though, and we jumped on it. We believe Tarentum will meet our needs, and we're very excited. We're expecting great things.”
Braden Ashe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.
