‘Opening Doors to Opportunity’ – New Prudential Plant

Prudential Cleanroom Services (PCS) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 16 that drew 100-plus public and private officials for a formal opening of PCS’s new 67,000-square-foot cleanroom plant located in Heath, OH, about 40 miles east of Columbus, OH.

“It’s an amazing transformation that we’ve seen,” said Heath Mayor Mark Johns of the newly opened facility that had held a similar groundbreaking ceremony in April 2022. Johns added that the new plant represents a win-win for PCS as well as the greater metropolitan area. “I can’t measure really how great an impact that is in the community,” Johns said. “It’s something we strive for with every new company we welcome. And PCS has been a great company to work with, as we’ve gone through the process of working with them on the construction of this facility.”

Chris Welch, president of Prudential Overall Supply, Irvine, CA, the parent company of PCS, returned the compliment. He noted that area officials at all levels have worked diligently with PCS to move the new plant from drawing board to reality. “We’re happy to have you here today to celebrate the opening of our newest cleanroom laundry located in beautiful Heath, Ohio,” he said, adding that, “Our commitment to Ohio includes over $35 million invested capital, as well as a schedule to hire and employ over 80 employees on a full-time basis.”

The plant will provide reusable cleanroom garments, including gowns, aprons, head coverings and goggles, to high-tech industries in the Columbus area and beyond, including customers as far away as Minnesota and Pennsylvania. “This facility provides cleanroom laundry services for industries such as pharmaceuticals, bioscience, aerospace, education, electronics, and of course, semiconductors,” Welch said. “Sitting on more than nine acres, this plant is Prudential’s eighth ISO Class 3 cleanroom facility. It is the newest, most modern cleanroom laundry in North America. Further cementing Prudential’s commitment to the marketplace and extending the greatest capacity of any company in our industry. We are thrilled to operate this client-driven facility in Ohio. On behalf of Prudential and the Clark family (owners), I thank each of you for being here today.”

Prudential Senior Vice President Stefan Shurter noted in his remarks that the decision to locate the plant in Heath was made after reviewing 20 potential sites. A key factor in the selection was the welcome that PCS received from local authorities, including utility executives, who made it a priority to expedite the project’s progress by providing timely approvals for permitting applications for water and electricity use. “We did not ask for any ‘incentives,’” Schurter said, noting that PCS hadn’t sought subsidies or tax breaks to move forward with the project. However, he added that, “What we were hoping for is a city that is going to be in cooperation with us, working with us, giving our staff the opportunity to work successfully to get city permits in a reasonable time, so we can pull this project together.” While the process took 3.5 years, Schurter added that, “We all got it together within budget, and there’s a lot of positives we found. The state, the county, the city helped us build this, and we’re very thankful.”

TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci noted in his remarks to attendees that the new, highly efficient plant will conserve water and energy, while encouraging the use of environmentally friendly, reusable textiles. The new plant will also reinforce a strong base of linen, uniform and facility services plants already operating in the Buckeye State. “Prudential’s investment in this state-of-the-art facility reflects its leadership in our industry,” Ricci said. “It’s an investment that will have a lasting impact on the community and the great state of Ohio. More than 25,000 workers in Ohio are supported by good-paying linen, uniform and facility services industry jobs, and that number will obviously increase by at least 80 more with this new facility that will provide essential services to workers and customers in high-tech industries that operate and manufacture in controlled environments.”

Closing speaker Jennifer McDonald, president and CEO of the Licking County Chamber of Commerce, noted that the plant represents more than just a new factory in the area. It will serve as a magnet for high-tech businesses across the region that require cleanroom services. “This ribbon-cutting ceremony isn’t just about opening a new facility,” she said. “It’s about opening doors to opportunity, innovation and long-term partnerships.”

Moments later, a group of PCS, public and private officials then stood together as Welch wielded a pair of oversized scissors to cut a large blue ribbon. This act formally marked the opening of the new plant. Tours of the new facility followed, along with a luncheon for attendees.