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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Nextracker-JM Steel Expand Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, Operations

05/01/2024
Nextracker, a provider of intelligent solar tracker and software solutions, and JM Steel, a JENNMAR Holdings subsidiary and steel processing provider, expanded manufacturing operations in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania. The project is expected to create 60 jobs.

The investment in Nextracker-dedicated manufacturing lines at JM Steel’s facility will more than double production capacity, supporting rising demand for solar energy across Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic.

“We are thrilled to be partnered with JM Steel and celebrate the expansion of the Pittsburgh facility to serve customer demand. This facility is also expected to produce core components of our new low carbon tracker offering announced this week,” said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker. “The U.S. solar market is continuing to demonstrate strong growth. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has forecasted solar to grow 26% on an annual compounded rate and be the number one source of energy in the U.S. within a decade.”

Nextracker is a provider of intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used in utility-scale and ground-mounted distributed generation solar projects. The company’s products enable solar panels power plants to follow the sun’s movement across the sky and optimize plant performance.

“We are proud to announce the expansion of this historic steel factory in Pittsburgh—which we have been honored to call our home for more than 100 years,” noted Tony Calandra, CEO of JENNMAR. “This partnership with Nextracker allows for significant investment in advanced manufacturing and brings high-quality jobs back to our communities. We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring our Pennsylvania-based employee count to more than 500.”

JENNMAR is a global provider of infrastructure products and specialized services to the civil infrastructure, solar, mining, and construction industries. The company currently operates facilities in Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

“JENNMAR and Nextracker are in a powerful partnership focused on advancing the energy transition and American manufacturing. The future depends on leveraging a diverse portfolio of resources that addresses our environment, energy needs, and economic opportunity,” added Matt Smith, chief growth officer at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “This is a win at the convergence of two industries that are pivotal to southwestern Pennsylvania – energy and manufacturing – and we’re proud that our region is a key part of the supply chain that’s helping to bring more solar energy to the market.”

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