Home Care In Landenberg, PA

Purolite, an Ecolab company based in King of Prussia, will invest at least $190 million into the local economy and create a minimum of 170 new jobs, Shapiro said.

Credit: AP

FILE - Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. Shapiro unveils his first budget next week, poor districts that won a landmark school-funding lawsuit want him to propose a significant down payment and a plan to overhaul how Pennsylvania pays for K-12 education. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

LANDENBERG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday that a manufacturer of high-quality resins used to make life-saving drugs will expand and create the first U.S. operations of its Global Biologics Division in Chester County.

Purolite, an Ecolab company based in King of Prussia, is a leading manufacturer of specialty purification resins for water, industrial, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, Shapiro said in a press release.

The company will invest at least $190 million into the local economy and create a minimum of 170 new jobs over the next five years, according to Shapiro, who made the announcement in an effort to highlight to his pledge to support businesses and accelerate economic growth in the Commonwealth.

The new facility will be located at 380 Starr Road in Landenberg in Chester County, Shapiro said.

Shapiro said his administration has prioritized attracting businesses to Pennsylvania and retaining those already operating here, and his first budget proposal includes significant investments in growth and economic development for businesses, workers and communities.

Shapiro said he has overseen a renewed focus on economic growth, and his Administration recently announced that Little Leaf Farms will open Pennsylvania's largest indoor-grown leafy greens production facility that is expected to create 170 new jobs in Carbon County, and Shank's Extracts will make a $30.5 million investment to expand its homegrown food manufacturing facility in central Pennsylvania.

“The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is home to a growing biotech industry, and with Purolite’s expansion in Chester County, we are cementing ourselves as one of the leaders in this rapidly expanding field,” said Shapiro. “I’m proud that Pennsylvania won this expansion project against other states, and I’m pleased that we will be the home of Purolite’s first U.S. Biologics Division.

"These types of strategic investments in growing businesses are positioning the Commonwealth as an economic powerhouse, and we will continue to make investments that bring more expansions and good-paying jobs to the Commonwealth.”

Purolite received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $1,037,000 Pennsylvania First grant and was encouraged to apply for the department’s Qualified Manufacturing Innovation and Reinvestment Deduction (QMIRD) program.

“Under Governor Shapiro's leadership, Pennsylvania is aggressively competing with other states to attract and retain businesses,” said DCED secretary Rick Siger. “Life sciences and manufacturing are two of our major industries, and we will continue to solidify our leadership in those areas by investing in more growing businesses like Purolite. This homegrown company’s decision to anchor its U.S. Biologics Division here speaks volumes about what the Commonwealth can offer to businesses.”

Construction on Purolite’s new facility is underway, and phase 1 is expected to be completed by the first half of 2025.

“We are proud to expand our footprint in Pennsylvania with Purolite’s first U.S.-based biologics manufacturing plant,” said Hayley Crowe, senior vice president and general manager for Purolite. “Purolite’s new facility will help bring security of supply to our global pharmaceutical and biotech customers, enabling lifesaving drugs to reach patients faster.”

Purolite, the King of Prussia company that makes resin beads for water-purification and medical pills, says it will spend $190 million turning a former W.L. Gore facility in Chester County into its latest factory as its new owner ramps up production.

The plant, in a section that is also home to a string of mushroom farm sheds, is the first in the United States for Purolite’s Global Biologics division, which makes products for medical devices, drugs, and diet supplements, said Hayley Crowe, general manager for the company, in a statement.

Located at 380 Starr Rd., in the Landenberg section of New Garden Township, the new plant “will bring security of supply to our global pharmaceutical and biotech customers,” Crowe added.

Purolite’s existing plants include locations in Northeast Philadelphia and several cities in China, Romania, and Wales.

Purolite, founded by brothers Steve and Don Brodie in 1981, was purchased by Minnesota-based Ecolab for $3.7 billion in 2021. At the time, Purolite sales totaled around $400 million, while Ecolab revenues topped $12 billion. Last year, Ecolab said it was opening a new $40 million plant near its offices in King of Prussia, to employ around 70, to meet rising demand for the company’s basic material, resin beads.

Ecolab officials said at the time of the purchase that they expected to rapidly increase production of Purolite’s beads for use in purifying mRNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies for cancer treatments, and other profitable, growing medical therapies.

State support for the Landenberg project includes a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania First public subsidy program designed to help lure investment and jobs to the state. The state has also encouraged Purolite to apply for a manufacturing and reinvestment tax deduction under Pennsylvania’s Qualified Manufacturing Innovation and Reinvestment Deduction program.

“Pennsylvania is aggressively competing” with other states for biotech and manufacturing jobs, said Rick Siger, Gov. Shapiro’s head of community and economic development, in a statement. The plant will be built and expanded in stages, with the first stage over the next two years.

Siger noted that Shapiro has asked legislators in Harrisburg for more manufacturing subsidies in the current state budget.

The new plant is the latest in a string of investments in manufacturing facilities in Chester County, the richest of the state’s 67 counties. According to Gary Smith and Mike Grigalonis of the Chester County Economic Development Council, these include:

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Pennsylvania homes are among the oldest in the entire country. And as they age, the repairs can be tough to keep up with.

In Chester County, there are more than 3,000 such historic homes that are in need of upgrades, but some homeowners don’t have the means to fund these improvements.

Through a state initiative, county officials are trying to support qualified homeowners with low and moderate incomes with up to $25,000 for repair costs. Applications for the new $2.7 million Whole-Home Repairs program are now open.

“The commissioners made their award recommendations,” said Shaun R. Bollig, deputy director of the Chester County Department of Community Development. “We also worked internally to prepare policies and procedures for how this program can work using the four providers and in a way that replicates existing programs and works well for Chester County homeowners.”

In order to get accepted to the program, applicants will have to meet the program eligibility requirements and the approved scopes of work.

How to apply for Chester County’s Whole-Home Repairs program

Interested homeowners must be below 80% of the median area income. According to Bollig, for a one-person household, the income limit would be $62,500. For a household of four, that number is $89,250.

“All applicants must demonstrate proof of home ownership in Chester County,” he said. “They must be current on their taxes — so no outstanding taxes. And this must be the homeowner’s primary residence.”

Proposed repairs must address immediate accessibility, habitability, health, and safety issues.

“The Whole-Home Repairs program is really targeted on the critical repairs to keep homeowners stable and safely housed, so we’re looking at those major systems repairs that include roof replacement, heating and cooling repairs, plumbing,” Bollig said.

For more information, Chester County residents can visit the website or call 610-713-8088.

There is no deadline to apply, as applications will be accepted until all funds have been exhausted.

Where does the money for Whole-Home Repairs Come from?

Funding for the initiative came by way of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act money. State Sen. Nikil Saval introduced the Whole-Home Repairs program in 2022 as part of the state budget.

Philadelphia and its collar counties were slated to receive a combined $40 million.

While $50 million of Whole-Home Repairs funding is stuck in limbo due to the need for “additional legislative language,” Chester County’s allocation was not impacted. The county received its entire funding package.

The Chester County Department of Community Development is overseeing the program and working with several providers to roll out the funds.

“We issued a request for proposals earlier this year and three of the four providers administering Whole-Home Repairs funds applied as a coalition,” Bollig said.

Collectively known as the Whole-Homes Repair Coalition, Good Works, Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Chester County, and Good Neighbors Home Repair will administer about $2.6 million of the funds.

The Housing Partnership of Chester County will receive about $112,000 to supplement its senior maintenance and homeowner rehabilitation programs.

Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell, and Michelle Kichline said in a joint statement that the program is a “milestone” in collaboration.

“For the first time, Good Works, Inc., Good Neighbors Home Repair, Habitat for Humanity of Chester County, and Housing Partnership of Chester County are combining forces on this innovative grassroots, community-driven program that has the potential to help so many Chester County residents,” the statement read. “We thank our state legislators for their backing of this important program — the first of its kind in the nation, and one which helps individuals and families stay warm, safe, and dry in homes they can afford.”

Coalition member estimates at least 3,500 Chester County homes are ‘substandard’

Good Works, Inc. is a nonprofit home repair ministry that repairs homes for families with low income throughout central and northern Chester County. The work is mainly accomplished by volunteers and is done at no cost to homeowners.

The Whole Home Repairs Coalition created the intake application in a way to properly divide up the work between the coalition partners.

“The application will then be distributed to the appropriate organization based on geographic area and income level,” said Bob Beggs, executive director of Good Works, Inc. “And then each of the organizations will do a final verification of the qualifications of the homeowner and once they are approved for services, the homeowner will be provided an agreement and a contract for that work to be accomplished.”

Beggs said the work is scheduled to be accomplished no later than December 31, 2026. Approved homeowners will be notified by December 31, 2024.

“Even in a county as wealthy as Chester County, which is recognized as the wealthiest county in Pennsylvania, we know of at least 3,500 — could be more now since COVID — substandard homes in the communities in this county,” Beggs said.

A 2016 survey counted 197,721 total homes within the county limits.

In Beggs’ point of view, the coalition isn’t just addressing poverty by helping people to have warm, safe, dry and healthy homes, but it is also providing an opportunity for volunteers to help in that mission.

“And so it really becomes a neighbors helping neighbors program,” he said.

While he doesn’t anticipate there being any issues with the application process, Beggs acknowledged that Good Works has its own backlog of requests for support.

“We have a two-year backlog of people that have requested home repairs,” he said. “So this program will not only help us draw down that backlog of people that are already waiting for services, but will enable us to be able to help many more. We expect that there will be high demand for these services in the first few months.”

He added the coalition has pledged to help out as many people as possible until the money is completely gone.

“The good news for Chester County is the fact that the Chester County Housing Partnership,

Neighbors Habitat for Humanity, and Good Works are here, have been here before the Whole-Home Repairs program, and will be there after the Whole-Home Repairs program,” Beggs said. “And so all those organizations are committed to meeting the needs of low-income families who are struggling in our County.”

Talk to us about Philly's suburbs

In this issue of Landenberg Life, we will introduce you to a few of your neighbors who are making a difference close to home and also some who are sharing their talents with the world.

Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw profiles landscape architect and horticulturalist Scott Mastrangelo of Gardens Great and Small, who purchased the old Middleton property on the corner of Laurel Heights and Newark roads in 2018, and is renovating both the historic home and the surrounding gardens.

Through the lens of photographer Jim Coarse of Moonloop Photography, we take a stroll around the picturesque landscape of 1723 Vineyards, which has become one of southern Chester County's most popular meeting places and where its wines have become a bounty of flavor for every taste.

We also take a walk around some of the 105 acres at the Loch Nairn Golf Course in nearby Avondale, which was recently purchased by New Garden Township and will be converted into a gorgeous walking space for Landenberg families for generations to come.

Singer-songwriter Shane Palko has been inspired by the sounds from his Curry Farm in Landenberg and by travels to 28 countries. Writer Ken Mammarella talks to the musician about his latest album and the extensive touring that he does. No matter how far he travels, he takes the influences of Landenberg with him.

This issue also features a story about the SoChesCo Hellbenders, and how the group’s members use mountain biking as a means to improve themselves and their communities.

Writer Natalie Smith reports about how one local couple tapped into sweet success as Whiskey Hollow Maple syrup, which is made in Pennsylvania, is catching on here and throughout the region.

In his story, “Landenberg: A refreshing break from city life,” writer and historian Gene Pisasale explores the history of Landenberg, including the original inhabitants—the Lenni-Lenape Indians, who lived in eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and southern New York for thousands of years.

We're very pleased to be sharing the stories in this issue of Landenberg Life with you. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions for future stories. We’re already hard at working planning the next issue of the magazine, which will arrive in the spring of 2022.

Sincerely,Randy Lieberman, [email protected], 610-869-5553

Steve Hoffman, [email protected]., 610-869-5553, Ext. 13

Pennsylvania is spending $45 million to add new state parks at a nature preserve in Tunkhannock, on Big Elk Creek in the Philadelphia suburbs and along the Susquehanna River near Wrightsville, officials announced Tuesday.

The additions to the state's 121-park system will be an existing nearly 700-acre nature preserve on the Vosburg Neck in Wyoming County, a 1,700-acre tract in Chester County and some 1,100 acres in York County.

The expansion was funded in the state budget that passed in July. They are the first new state parks in Pennsylvania since 2005, not counting Washington Crossing in Bucks County, which was transferred from the state Historical and Museum Commission.

"Our beautiful state parks are among the finest in the nation," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a news release. "I'm proud to have secured funding in my final budget to make this investment in our park system which will not only preserve invaluable natural resources and habitats for wildlife but provide in-demand access for Pennsylvanians to enjoy the beauty of nature and recreational opportunities."

The Vosburg Neck property, known as the Howland Preserve and owned by the North Branch Land Trust, is bordered by an oxbow turn in the Susquehanna River and includes an extensive trail system.

In Chester County, the new park will include 3.5 miles of Big Elk Creek, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay at Elk River. Officials say the creek was long used by indigenous people and was an area of considerable activity for the Underground Railroad.

“There's going to be a lot of history, a lot of stories to tell,” said Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “And part of the park planning in that one will be, what's the best way for us to do that?"

The York park, located a few miles from Gov. Tom Wolf's home in Mount Wolf, is adjacent to large tracts owned by the Lancaster Conservancy — the former Boy Scout camp Wizard Ranch and the Hellam Hills Nature Preserve.

Dunn said the state recently purchased the York County property, assembled the Chester County land over more than a decade and is in final negotiations for the Wyoming County tract.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to serve the public in a way that the public demands of us,” Dunn said. “People came out in droves during the pandemic and reaffirmed their interest in parks.”

The York park, with the working name Susquehanna Riverlands, is costing $20 million in land purchase and development costs, Elk Creek $13 million and Vosburg $12 million. Their final names haven’t been determined, and the parks are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.

The money in this year’s budget is the result of an unexpected windfall from gas drilling leases on state forest land, Dunn said. New state funding is also helping develop a park where people can use motorized vehicles in Schuylkill County, south of Hazleton, and to preserve the state's large collection of geologic core samples.