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Benton Foundry expanding and hiring

A Columbia County business that's been around for more than 150 years is expanding.

BENTON, Pa. — The Benton Foundry has been a staple in Columbia County since 1860.  The company produces iron castings for customers all across the country.  

"We make pumps, parts for fire hydrants.  We make pumps for industrial settings plus commercial building settings," Tim Brown said.

The Benton Foundry is undergoing a $13 million expansion.  The expansion will double the size of the company's main production core room.  That's where the iron castings are molded and ground.

"We were limited at about 5,000 tons a year of castings cores, and now with the expansion, we'll be able to make 10,000 tons a year of cores," Brown said.

Tim Brown is Vice President of Benton Foundry.  He says the expansion will modernize the foundry.

"It will be smarter production with more mechanization.  Our goal is to eliminate the labor in the foundry as far as physical labor and do things mechanically," Brown said.

The expansion will also bring new jobs to the Benton Foundry.  The company is looking to hire around 70 new employees.

Even though Benton Foundry is increasing its use of robotic and automatic equipment, it is hiring more people.  Brown says the company is sending employees to Penn College in Williamsport to learn how to use the new equipment.  The 70,000 square foot expansion will be done in stages and is expected to be finished next fall.  

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