A Berks County manufacturer was awarded a portion of the latest round of investments by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The organization approved over $2 million in investments from April to June of fiscal year 2025.
Brentwood Industries Inc., Spring Township, was one of the 17 businesses —11 early-stage companies and six established manufacturers — that will be receiving monetary awards from Ben Franklin.
Brentwood is a third-generation family-owned manufacturer founded in 1965 in Reading. It produces thermoformed plastics, including components for water treatment, medical, cooling tower, and stormwater applications.
Brentwood did not return a request for comment.
Ben Franklin Northeast, of Bethlehem, is a nonprofit initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. It brands itself as an “economic development organization that provides investment capital and business support,” covering a 21-county region.
“Each investment is tailored to the specific needs of the company and the scope of their proposed project, and the amounts vary accordingly,” said Kimberly Metz, senior manager and head of marketing at Ben Franklin.
Metz said Ben Franklin declined to disclose individual investment amounts.
“The investments will support…innovative product development, workforce expansion, and operational growth across the region,” Ben Franklin said in a press release.
The statewide Ben Franklin Technology Partners network consists of four independent nonprofit organizations in Bethlehem, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and State College.
Some projects were financed, in part, with Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
$1.3 million in investments were made to the following early-stage companies:
• Automate HQ Inc., Jessup, Lackawanna County
• Global Key Solutions, Scranton, Lackawanna County
• NovaData Solutions Inc., Haverford, Delaware County
• Oral Biolife Inc., Bethlehem, Northampton County
• Orbweaver Sourcing, LLC, Bethlehem, Northampton County
• Redemption Business Solutions LLC, Honesdale, Wayne County
• Reviews UP LLC, Allentown, Lehigh County
• SARAS-3D Inc., Allentown, Lehigh County
• Spacecraft Automation, Bethlehem, Northampton County
• Spoke Acquisition Corporation (Spoke Sciences), Bethlehem, Northampton County
• With Meraki Co., Northampton County
$659,550 in investments will be made to the following established manufacturers that are incorporating student enrichment work with a college or university partner:
• Brentwood Industries Inc., Spring Township, Berks County
• ABEC Inc., Bethlehem, Northampton County
• Eastern Exterior Wall Systems Inc., Allentown, Lehigh County
• LifeAire Systems LLC, Allentown, Lehigh County
• Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF Biologics), Jessup, Lackawanna County
• Polymer Contours, Allentown, Lehigh County
Source: Berkshire mont