NESQUEHONING -- A major employer in Carbon County looking to hire 40 new workers. Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corporation in Nesquehoning is expanding thanks to the Natural Gas Industry.
"Every new opportunity for new business does boost morale, employees always looking to, they take pride in their work here," said Greg Sobolewski of McAdoo.
Sobolewski is one of the Kovatch employees now assembling new water hauling tankers, used mainly by the Marcellus Shale industry.
The company says this new venture was the perfect opportunity to grow as the tight economy allowed municipalities to buy fewer fire trucks.
"This was kind of a natural extension for us from a product standpoint when the Marcellus Region kind of picked up in Pennsylvania, it was something that made sense for us to look at," said Kovatch's Chief Financial Officer Richard Reaman.
Kovatch is refurbishing some of its buildings to adapt and manufacture trucks like these and was able to re-hire several of the workers laid off in 2011.
"For a long time local restaurants like Lengyel`s here in Nesquehoning, they hope these new jobs mean more customers sitting at their tables."
"We hope, with the way prices are now, you have to be ahead of everything. It`s hard, very hard," said Mary Lengyel.
Mary Lengyel is the original owner of Lengyel's Restaurant in Nesquehoning. Her kids are the ones running the business now, and say Kovatch employees help keep their doors open.
"Oh yeah, they always come in, Kovatch, yep, it would hurt without them," Gary Lengyel.
Now Kovatch has opening for assemblers, welders, electricians and more, starting at $13 to $15 an hour. Something people in Nesquehoning say is a good sign in their hometown.
"If it just keeps people working it`s just a great thing, it helps everybody all the way around," said Al Zetelski of Nesquehoning.