Knoll expanding in Pa., creating new jobs

The furniture company with deep roots in East Greenville will add at least 138full-time positions.

Knoll Inc., a Pennsylvania company with deep roots in East Greenville, Montgomery County, is expanding in the county and in Pennsylvania.

The project, announced Wednesday by Gov. Tom Wolf, will create at least 138 new, full-time jobs and will position the company for future growth.

Knoll Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of workplace and residential furniture. The company is relocating a manufacturing line from Michigan to Pennsylvania and expanding its footprint in the commonwealth. The company will be aided in its efforts by a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development.

“Since our founders established our first manufacturing operations in East Greenville during the 1940s, Knoll has been committed to this area and the skilled workforce it offers,” Chris Baldwin, COO & president, Knoll Workplace, said in a press release. “We are pleased to partner with Governor Wolf and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to expand our presence once again.”

In 2020, Knoll launched a three-step relocation approach in its expansion effort, which will continue this year.

The first step was to relocate its textile team from East Greenville to a 57,000-square-foot facility in Quakertown, Bucks County.

The second step was the relocation of a Knoll Inc. manufacturing line from its Michigan facility to the East Greenville location.

The third step, according to the company, is the relocation and expansion of Knoll’s Allentown mixing center facility to a site close to the East Greenville location.

No additional information was available Wednesday about the location of the new facility and the timing. Knoll expects to grow its mixing center from 300,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet within the next three years.

Knoll received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development for a $425,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $276,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs, and $82,800 in funding for job training.

The company has pledged to invest at least $6.8 million into the project and has committed to creating at least 138 jobs and retain an additional 920 jobs over the next three years.

“Knoll’s move and expansion plans demonstrate its continuing commitment to maintaining a presence in our commonwealth,” Gov. Wolf said in the release. “I’m pleased that Knoll has recognized the talent that our workforce has to offer and has chosen to continue its growth in Pennsylvania.”

“I am extremely pleased that Knoll Inc. has decided to continue its relocation into Montgomery County,” state Sen. Robert Mensch (R-24th Dist.), said in a press release. “With the creation and continuation of new jobs in the area, our communities can continue to grow and thrive.”

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, a group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding

in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania First Program was established as a comprehensive funding tool to facilitate increased investment and job creation in the commonwealth and to enable the commonwealth to compete more effectively in the global economy, according to information on the Governor’s Action Team website.

Funds awarded through the Pennsylvania First Program must be “necessary for the operation of an eligible business or businesses at a project site(s) in the commonwealth.”

Funds may be used for: job training; acquisition of land, buildings or rights-ofway; construction or rehabilitation of buildings; purchase or upgrade of machinery and equipment; working capital; site preparation; environmental assessments; remediation; and architectural and engineering fees.

Knoll works with architects and designers, as well as commercial, education, health care and government organizations worldwide to create modern interiors. The company’s awardwinning portfolio includes office furniture, ergonomic and lounge seating, modular storage, textiles, and accessories. For more information visit www.knoll.com/

For more information about the Governor’s Action Team or DCED, visit dced.pa.gov.