With an eye on innovation, economic development and job creation, the Falls Supervisors on Monday night unanimously approved the expansion of the United States’ lone producer of a “designated critical material.”
The Supervisors granted preliminary and final land development approval to MM Metals USA, LLC to permit expansion of the company’s ferrochrome production at 49 Middle Drive with the construction of a 17,153-square-foot replica of its existing plant. The board also granted preliminary and final land development approval of a 126,543-square-foot aluminum production plant, as well as a materials storage area and two weigh stations, along with associated site improvements. Both properties are situated within the Keystone Trade Center.
The company has been located in Falls since 2022 and is the first U.S. producer of ferrochrome in the last 50 years. The material is a “critical alloy for defense, aerospace and energy sectors,” an MM Metals representative told the board. The U.S. generally imports ferrochrome from China, Russia, and other companies, according to MM Metals.
MM Metals Co-founder Michael Devlin said the company currently employs 42 and is “growing.”
“We are sort of competing for finding people,” Devlin said. “It’s difficult out there.”
MM Metals is tasked with hiring “at least” 20 employees in the immediate future, with plans to expand staffing to 175 permanent jobs when both facilities are up and running. Construction is expected to create “over 200” jobs.
In terms of the type of high-paying jobs available, Devlin said, “it’s a whole range,” including metallurgists. “You need people you can train … we train for many, many months.”
When residents and board members asked about environmental impacts, MM Metals representatives said their air quality permit designates them as a “low emitter.” Environmental studies determined that there were “no environmental impacts whatsoever.”
“Working with molten metal is extremely dangerous,” an MM Metals rep said, adding that the company has gone “five years without even a scratch” due to its high safety standards. “In this industry that’s unheard of.”
Supervisor Vice Chairperson Erin Mullen wished the company luck and said she was proud of their continued expansion.
“It’s a very American success story,” she said.
In other business, the Supervisors approved the amended final land development plan for McGill Fairless Hills Composting Facility at 600 Tyburn Road. As part of the project, the company will construct a 37,560-square-foot addition to its existing 124,650-square-foot composting facility, which is situated on a 15.59-acre parcel. Other improvements include construction of Biofilter 3, installation of an acid scrubber system and construction of two buildings to enclose the two existing biofilters with an exhaust stack. The acid scrubber system will be installed within an existing building, and a tank building, roofed tank containment area, and roofed tanker bay will be installed to support the acid scrubber.
