Greater Reading, PA has continued to experience growth from within. Over the last three years, over 20 existing companies have expanded their operations. This is an important sign not only in our immediate local economy, but also in the regional, national and global economy.

While there are a variety of factors at play, we attribute the growth in Berks to lower costs, lower interest rates, and the willingness of companies to make investments in growing their companies.

Over the last year the Berks County region has experienced a surge in existing company growth. Two of the region’s largest employers, East Penn Manufacturing and the Reading Health System are both in the midst of expansions. The majority of the existing companies choosing to expand are doing so to accommodate their need for additional capacity and in most cases, they are adding employees.

Some of the expanding companies include:

 Eagle Brass

 East Penn Manufacturing

 EnerSys

 GenPore

 The Loomis Company

 PhytogenX

 Reading Health System

Why does Berks County make sense for these industries? The region offers affordability; proximity to major traffic arteries and metropolitan areas; investment in workforce training; and a great network of agencies and businesses to help them get established.

Most recently the Greater Reading Economic Partnership (GREP) worked with a cosmetic contract manufacturer, PhytogenX Inc. to locate a larger facility to accommodate the company’s continued growth.

The company’s need to expand came when their original facility reached production capacity. In an effort to stay in the area, PhytogenX Inc. moved to 35 Thousand Oaks in Morgantown, (Caernarvon Township) increasing its size by approximately five times.

“One of the benefits of expanding in Berks County was the excellent workforce,” said Julie Knox, President of PhytogenX Inc., “we have a great workforce and we didn’t want to lose them.” Knox also mentioned the lower cost of doing business as another benefit of staying in Berks County.

PhytogenX Inc. formulates, manufactures, and packages custom made products for its customers. The company originally employed 58 people and with the expansion has increased its workforce to 70 employees.

Throughout the expansion, PhytogenX worked with multiple Greater Reading companies to assist with the building, moving, and manufacturing processes. The larger facility allows the company to function more efficiently and at a higher capacity. PhytogenX currently has 6 production lines and plans to increase to 12 lines.

About PhytogenX Inc.,

PhytogenX is a turnkey contract manufacturing company with vision, expertise and flexibility. The focal point of its business is putting its customer’s needs first – whether it’s developing new products, reverse engineering established products or just filling your bulk. To learn more about PhytogenX, visit PhytogenX.com.

About Greater Reading Economic Partnership

Greater Reading Economic Partnership’s mission is to lead regional efforts to attract, retain, and grow business and to market Berks County as a competitive and attractive location for business. For further information, visit GreaterReading.com. GREP is one of 42 economic development organizations out of over 4,500 worldwide to receive accreditation from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Contact info: Jon@GreaterReading.com or 610.376.4237.