Dauphin County fireplace maker to add 51 jobs

Hearth & Home Technologies Inc., a hearth products manufacturer, will expand operations at its Halifax plant, creating jobs over the next three years. The company has committed to an investment of at least $3.45 million in the project.

Hearth & Home came to Central Pennsylvania when it purchased the Harman Stove Co. in 2007. The company has committed to retaining its current Pennsylvania workforce of 200 employees, and will begin hiring new employees in mid-to-late 2017.

The company received a funding package from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development consisting of a $300,000 Pennsylvania First program grant and $102,000 in tax credits to be distributed upon creation of new jobs.

The company also has been encouraged to apply for a $1.5 million low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team.

“I’m excited to share the news that Hearth & Home Technologies — already a major employer in this rural area — will be expanding its Dauphin County operations and increasing the size of its current Pennsylvania workforce by around 25 percent,” Wolf said.

Hearth & Home Technologies is an operating division of Iowa-based HNI Corp. According to its website, Hearth & Home’s corporate offices are in Minnesota.

The move comes in response to “excess domestic stove manufacturing capacity,” which prompted Hearth & Home to consolidate its Colville, Wash. operation into the Halifax plant.

“We appreciate the support of the Dauphin County community and Gov. Wolf in this transition,” company President V.P. Berger said. “We are confident that our terrific team in Halifax will take this opportunity to continue to deliver high-quality, on-time, best-cost products for our customers.”