Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced that Evans Delivery Company (EDC) will expand its operations in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, creating 65 new jobs and maintaining 321 existing employees.
“EDC made a commitment to revitalize Schuylkill Haven almost two decades ago, and the company has been dedicated to those efforts ever since,” Gov. Wolf said. “This project further builds on those efforts and shows how a town can initiate change with a simple vision and a little teamwork, driving economic and social benefits directly into the community.”
EDC, an over-the-road trucking company and broker, will acquire and renovate a 9,046-square-foot office building and demolish an existing surface car wash to create a corporate annex and 70 parking spaces. The project will consolidate back-office jobs, which are currently performed out of state, nearer to the company’s headquarters. The company will invest at least $2,482,658 in the project and create at least 65 new, full-time jobs at the site.
“It’s an honor to help with the revitalization of Schuylkill Haven by renewing a historic building that was so much a part of the original growth of the borough,” EDC Board Chairman Albert Evans, Jr., said. “It’s also rewarding to see how five organizations: the Downtown Merchants, the Island Organization, Penn State Schuylkill, the Heritage River Group, and the Walk In Art Center all have contributed to the revitalization project. It would never have been possible without the help of our elected public servants Governor Tom Wolf, Senator Dave Argall, and Representative Mike Tobash. It was a team effort and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
The Department of Community and Economic Development provided EDC with a funding proposal for the project. The plan includes a $250,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $65,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs and a $17,400 workforce development grant. The company was also encouraged to apply for a $1 million loan through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA). The Governor’s Action Team coordinated the project.