Standard-Speaker
CARBON COUNTY, Pa. — Kovatch Mobile Equipment was sold to REV Group of Orlando, Florida, but will keep its headquarters and primary manufacturing center in Nesquehoning, the companies said in a statement Monday.
For the past 70 years, Kovatch has manufactured fire trucks, tankers and other heavy-duty vehicles in Nesquehoning, where it employs the bulk of its 800 workers.
State Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, welcomed REV Group to Carbon County.
“REV Group, a $2 billion privately-owned company, is a proven job creator and their expansion in Carbon County will certainly add great value to the manufacturing landscape in Pennsylvania,” Yudichak said in a statement.
The REV Group manufactures fire apparatus with the E-One brand, buses, recreational vehicles, street sweepers, conversion vans and ambulances. It formerly was known as Allied Specialty Vehicles and employs more than 5,000.
Yudichak said the decision by the REV Group to retain primary operations of Kovatch in Nesquehoning will continue the legacy of highly-skilled manufacturing started by John “Sonny” Kovatch II in 1947.
Calls to Kovatch and the REV Group were not immediately returned Monday afternoon.
A news release from the companies was posted on Fire Apparatus Magazine’s website.
In Hazleton, Kovatch Mobile Equipment is known for its fire apparatus.
“Pretty much all of our apparatus is from KME,” Hazleton Fire Chief Donald Leshko said. “They’re a quality product.”
“We are blessed that people that live in and around our city work at the company. That’s their livelihood ... and it’s something we’re proud of when we purchase a vehicle there,” Leshko said. “We’ve had incidents after hours where we made a phone call and a technician come here after hours to make repairs.”
Hazleton also purchased dump trucks and police vehicles from Kovatch.
In addition to fire apparatus, Kovatch manufactures water and fuel tanker trucks and rescue trucks for civilian, military and aviation customers.
Kovatch has facilities in Roanoke, Virginia; Albany, New York; Rockaway, New Jersey and Ontario, California.
The company will continue to promote and sell its brand of vehicles worldwide, the news release said.
REV Group CEO Tim Sullivan congratulated Kovatch President John Kovatch III on his leadership and said Kovatch’s industrial experience will benefit the REV Group.
“KME brings a tremendous brand, a talented group of employees and a world class product portfolio that adds to our capabilities to better serve our customers’ and dealers’ needs throughout the country,” Sullivan said in a statement.
After the sale is final, Kovatch will leave his post as president and chief operating officer at Kovatch but remain involved in the transition of his company and interact directly with Sullivan, the news release from the REV Group said.
“The REV Group has great expertise in the specialty vehicle industry, and we look forward to even further growth with them in the years ahead,” Kovatch said in the statement.
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