Prudential AZ Expansion Boosts High-Tech Ecosystem

Prudential Overall Supply unveiled a 40% expansion of its 37,000-square-foot Mesa, AZ, cleanroom plant, a move that City Manager Scott Butler cited as critical to his community’s effort to attract/retain pharmaceutical, aerospace and other high-tech manufacturers that require specialty garments.

“As we go out and try to recruit these high-value, high-quality jobs in our community, from biomedical to semiconductor, you’ve got to have the ‘ecosystem’ to support it,” Butler said at a Nov. 12 ribbon cutting at Prudential’s Mesa plant, which recently completed its fourth expansion. “None of this would be possible without companies like Prudential providing those essential services that these companies need. It’s great to recruit them. But if we don’t have those services that allow them to thrive, then we haven’t accomplished anything.”

Jerry Martin, Prudential’s vice president of sales, said in opening remarks that plans are now on the drawing board for a fifth expansion of the plant that opened in 1989. Butler noted that this prospect underscores the need for local officials to continue to work collaboratively with Prudential to protect “This vital ecosystem that we’re seeing here,” he said, adding that, “We want to continue to be your partner, to be your advocate, and to help us all continue to grow and see this community prosper.”

Martin, who served as emcee for the event, noted that the expansion of the Mesa plant was designed to accommodate growth in various high-tech businesses based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. “This expansion strengthens our position as a cleanroom provider serving vital sectors including pharmaceutical, bioscience, aerospace, education, electronics and … of course … semiconductors.” He added that the Mesa plant staff is dedicated to excellence in quality and safety. These high standards are essential to meet the exacting requirements of a growing base of specialty customers. “Built for the future, the Mesa facility helps Arizona and the Southwest attract and invest in high-tech industries,” Martin said. “And with Phase 5 already on the horizon, we’re preparing to grow another 40%.”

Prudential’s ISO 9001:2015-certified Class III cleanroom facility currently employs 131 people and serves 201 customers, Martin added. Its market area includes Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. The expansion was designed to accommodate a growing customer base in the region’s high-tech industries. “At Prudential, we don’t wait for demand to arrive,” Martin said. “We plan ahead, build ahead and stay ahead of the curve.”

Prudential President Chris Welch said at the event, which drew nearly 100 attendees, that the company’s $35 million investment in the Mesa plant reinforces its emphasis on the cleanroom sector. “This further cements our position and commitment to the marketplace,” he said. “We’re very proud of this client-focused facility here in Arizona. We look forward to a continued success in Mesa.”

Sally Harrison, president and CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, seconded that view, noting that Prudential can rely on local public and private officials to work with the company to help advance growth in key sectors such as medical research. “We are a business organization that focuses on promoting, protecting and advocating for the businesses in our community,” she said. “We take that really seriously. We also want you to think of our team as an extension of your own team. We are here to support you and help you along the way with whatever you might need.”

A group of local representatives and Prudential officials, including CEO John Clark, Mesa Council Member Jen Duff and Stefan Schurter, Prudential’s senior vice president for cleanroom services, then gathered together as Welch wielded a pair of oversized scissors to cut a blue ribbon, formally opening the newly expanded plant.

Schurter then led the first of several group tours of the plant. The tour was a unique opportunity for attendees, including executives of neighboring companies, to see this facility. Prudential limits visitor access to its cleanroom facilities and its proprietary processes for laundering lint-free, static-free specialty garments. “You’re going to see part of how we process some of these specialty garments in Mesa,” he said. “As we get going, we’ll show you a bit of the technology. Our own suppliers don’t get to see what you get to see today. This is a one-time open door. We wanted to show our appreciation to the city for allowing us to build.”

Ribbon Cutting Photo: (Shown in the above picture from left to right) Health & Wellness on a Budget LLC Jim Chiavaci; Prudential CEO John Clark; City of Mesa City Manager Scott Butler; District 4 City of Mesa Council Member Jenn Duff; Prudential President Chris Welch; Prudential Senior VP Stefan Schurter; President & CEO Mesa Chamber of Commerce Sally Harrison; Prudential VP, Sales & Marketing, Jerry Martin; All About Your Placement and Senior Resources Phaedra Earhart. Not shown in this picture: Prudential Mesa General Manager Juan Johnson.