Exciting developments are underway at Viega's upcoming production and training center in Mantua, Ohio. The foundation for this impressive 220,000-square-foot building has just been poured, bringing us closer to delivering more of the industry's best products to your jobsites. Slated for completion in mid 2025, this location will play a crucial role in meeting the growing demand for Viega's industry-leading press products.
Viega has ambitious plans for the Mantua facility, with the first sellable products expected to roll out by July 1, 2025, starting with ProPress products and then expanding to include MegaPress products in 2026. Read on to learn more about the Mantua facility and how it aligns with Viega's commitment to innovation, quality, and community.
The new facility 40 miles southeast of Cleveland is more than an expansion; it is part of a solution. Due to the ongoing industry labor shortage, there are fewer skilled workers than ever, reducing team sizes and forcing companies to adopt innovative, time-saving solutions. As a result, the demand for press technology and training has skyrocketed, and Viega is ready to step up. Advanced automation and digital integration are core components of the plant's design, with Viega's line production methods being very automated with one piece flow. Utilizing these factory 4.0 concepts, Viega anticipates a highly integrated manufacturing process that enables efficiency and predictability.
Viega's new production and training center will be pivotal in supporting our customers in Midwestern and Eastern states, ensuring they receive the highest quality products and education. In addition to production, the facility will serve as a training hub for customers in and around the region. With about 1,400 customers within a six-hour drive of Mantua, this location offers unparalleled convenience and proximity that will save time and resources for Viega's customers and increase production for all customers as demand grows.
To Viega and our customers, community is everything, and Viega's commitment to the Mantua community extends beyond job creation. We are working with key community members at every point in this process to understand the needs and priorities of the surrounding communities. Chief Operating Officer Marki Huston recently shared insights into this new build on a recent episode of the ASSEMBLY Audible podcast. "Viega is absolutely committed to being a partner in the community," she said. "We have engaged with local leaders to get feedback on what's important and how we can support the things that are important to the surrounding communities of our Ohio facility."
The Mantua facility will bring significant employment opportunities to the area, with plans to hire 30-40 people by the end of the year. Currently, 22 people have been hired and are in training. But it doesn't stop there; the workforce will grow to 100 by the end of the following year and more than 200 over the next five years. "We're building up an entirely new workforce," Huston emphasized. "We welcome any folks that are interested in joining a great company to go apply." Viega has set up a temporary office in Streetsboro until the new facility is finished being built.
Sustainability is at the heart of Viega's vision for the Mantua facility, and we've worked with our partners to ensure that our construction methods and materials are environmentally friendly. "We are committed to making the environment a better place for future generations," Huston noted, "and that means coming about this building in a different way." Once operational, the facility will be carbon-neutral, with all-electric machinery and operations, driving our goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2035.
We look forward to all the opportunities, innovation and growth ahead, and we cannot ask for a team better than our partners in Ohio. Visit our site for upcoming job opportunities in Mantua and stay tuned for more updates as the project moves forward.