Within the last month, three Central Pennsylvania companies announced that they had or would be buying back part or all of their stock to give to their employees as part of new Employee Stock Ownership Plans, known as ESOPs. 

Hot Frog Print Media, Mechanicsburg, celebrated “hopping” to a new 100% employee-owned business. 

Providence Engineering, a Lancaster-based engineering firm of 75 employees, is now employee-owned after adopting an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) last month. 

Lancaster-based home heating company Rhoads Energy has created an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and will be giving company ownership to each of its 160 employees. 

When a deal to sell a York County-based manufacturer fell through, a group of employees worked together to make an offer to the company’s owners in a transaction that took only 45 days. This month, the company celebrates its 20th year as an employee owned company.

Custom lubrication and hydraulic manufacturer Trola-Dyne has been acquired by Bucks County-based Airline Hydraulics Corp. for an undisclosed amount.