JWF Industries Expands to West Virginia Plant

JWF Industries has reopened a factory in West Virginia to ensure continued production at the location. Located in Davisville, West Virginia, the facility was previously operated by Sunshine Metals, headquartered in Baker, Louisiana.

JWF Industries designs, manufactures, and integrates metal centric products to follow its mission of growing with the right people, the right processes, the right markets, and the right customers. The company has annual operating sales over $120 million, encompasses over 1.1 million square feet of manufacturing space, and employs over 450 professionals in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Texas. JWF Industries is headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

The new 80,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in West Virginia is managed by the manufacturing group at JWF’s Woodvale location in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is leased through Polymer Alliance Zone.

Acquired in February 2020, JWF views this new location as an opportunity to increase capacity for large scale manufacturing, including current large aluminum plate. The manufacturing plant equipment includes:

  • 10’ x 20’ Onsrud plate mill
  • 15’ x 35’ Onsrud plate mill
  • 20 ton crane with plate suction lifters

The plant employs four full-time employees and JWF plans to hire an additional three trade skills workers by the end of 2020.

“Reopening this facility allows us to increase capacity and options for milling larger plate than we are currently able,” said Tom Polacek, Executive Vice President of JWF Industries who oversees the management of the West Virginia facility. “It also provides opportunity for us to add more machinery and employees to support JWF Industries operations, and the local Parkersburg region in the future, as our company continues to expand.”

A strong coal-mining work ethic in Davisville reminds the Polacek family of the work ethic in their home community of Johnstown. “We’re hoping to utilize the labor market in this community. There’s a lot of talent and skill sets that will help us continue to grow.”

JWF Industries is based on family values that radiate throughout the organization and commitment to helping others. “We are very committed to the communities where we operate,” said Polacek. “We hope this expansion creates a strong relationship with the Davisville community, much like we have in our other locations.”

JWF Industries was founded in 1987 after owner William Polacek purchased his father’s welding business, based in a two-car garage. Over the past 33 years, William Polacek and his team expanded the business to offer manufacturing services for the defense, renewable energy, oil, gas, and commercial industries.