Bronkhorst High-Tech, a Dutch company that established its U.S. headquarters in the Lehigh Valley 18 years ago, recently relocated to a larger facility. This move marks a significant step in expanding its operations, adding assembly capabilities, to better serve a diverse customer base across both North and South America. 
Bronkhorst USA held a ribbon-cutting for its new facility in Hanover Township, Northampton County, on June 24. The company produces instruments that measure and control pressure and the flow of liquids and gases in critical applications. It will begin assembling some products at the new location later this year and has room to grow, with space set aside for a cleanroom for services to the semiconductor industry.
“It's quite a big step to open a facility where we can produce our products globally,” said Bronkhorst Board Member Fergus van Beek, one of several officials who traveled from the Netherlands for the dedication of the new location. “We truly believe in a local or a close presence to our markets, to our customers. Customers need good service, good support.”
Bronkhorst opened the new location with assistance from Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
“Bronkhorst’s decision to invest more in the Lehigh Valley illustrates the potential that our region holds for international businesses,” said Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development and Attraction at LVEDC. “Nearly half of the business location and expansion prospects that LVEDC has worked with recently are international.”
Bronkhorst is a family-owned company whose products are used in the life sciences, chemical, energy, automotive, health care, research, food and beverage, automotive, and aerospace industries, among others.
Founded in 1981 in the Netherlands, Bronkhorst has grown to more than 800 employees around the globe, including at another recently opened facility, in Singapore.
The company chose the Lehigh Valley for its U.S. headquarters – providing sales and service – that opened in 2007 because of the region’s strong workforce and its network of colleges, universities, and career and technical schools that graduate workers with the skills it needs, said Todd Hannigan, General Manager of Bronkhorst USA.
Lehigh Valley’s workforce and talent pipeline are key reasons why the region’s economy has been growing, to a record Gross Domestic Product of nearly $56 billion.
The region repeatedly has been ranked one of the top mid-sized markets for economic development by Site Selection magazine, and interest has been strong among international companies such as Bronkhorst.
The Lehigh Valley has more than 100 international companies, including the U.S. headquarters of Olympus Corporation of the Americas (Japan) and B. Braun Medical (Germany). It is home to operations of global leaders like Mack Trucks (Sweden), Evonik (Germany), and Air Liquide (France).
The new Bronkhorst USA facility is more than double the size of the previous location and will, over time, expand the workforce significantly. By offering assembly services in the Lehigh Valley, Bronkhorst will be able to deliver products to customers in the Americas sooner.
Bronkhorst USA will receive component parts from the Netherlands to be assembled. In the future, Bronkhorst will look to source some components domestically including from the Lehigh Valley.
“It’s a really significant commitment to the U.S. market by Bronkhorst,” Hannigan said. “I'm excited to have assembly operations in the U.S. and continue our growth and to create additional jobs here in the Lehigh Valley.”
Thomas Schmidt, Manager of International Investment at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, said the Bronkhorst expansion was the result of teamwork between the state, LVEDC, local officials, and private enterprise.