PCC installs new equipment

The first of three new machines arrived last week at Pennville Custom Cabinetry in Portland, part of a $500,000 investment to expand the company’s product line.

Until now, cabinets manufactured at the Votaw Street facility were all made of wood. With the introduction of the new edge-bander, razor-gauge cutoff saw and large-scale sander, Pennville Custom Cabinetry will be able to create high-gloss acrylic and glass-look cabinets as well.

“Normally, manufacturers can do one or the other,” said Michele Goldman, Pennville Custom Cabinetry’s showroom experience manager. “This will enable us to do both.”

It also will allow the company to keep up with the interior design trend of mixing traditional and modern styles of cabinets, while allowing customers to get all their cabinets from a single manufacturer.

“This puts us in a class all our own,” said Pennville Custom Cabinetry president Mark Goldman.

When Portland resident Terry Freyburgher heard about the new product line, he left his big-box store position to join the Pennville Custom Cabinetry design team. A total of five new employees have been hired so far.

Experienced cabinet-makers are being trained on the new machinery. New factory hires will build wood cabinets.

Pennville Custom Cabinetry’s investment was made with the help of a matching grant from Next Level Manufacturing Institute (affiliated with the Indiana Economic Development Corp.) and a tax abatement from the City of Portland and. supported by the Jay County Development Corporation.

“Without abatements, it would be almost impossible to justify any investment,” said Mark Goldman.