PCT Ebeam begins $3.5M expansion

A Davenport company is making plans for a massive expansion that is expected to create more jobs and put millions of dollars into the region. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday, Nov. 2, for a $3.5 million expansion at PCT Ebeam and Integration, LLC, 8700 Hillandale Ave.  Construction on a 30,000-square-foot addition – that will […]

A Davenport company is making plans for a massive expansion that is expected to create more jobs and put millions of dollars into the region. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday, Nov. 2, for a $3.5 million expansion at PCT Ebeam and Integration, LLC, 8700 Hillandale Ave. 

Construction on a 30,000-square-foot addition – that will double the size of the existing company building – could start next week. It is scheduled to be complete by July 1, said Karl Swanson, president of PCT. As a result of the expansion, the company plans to hire 10 to 15 more people over the next three years. “This expansion will provide much needed space to increase our fabrication and assembly capacity,” said Mr. Swanson in a statement. “The growing international demand for our electron beam systems and our system integration solutions have driven this need. We will now have the opportunity to build more machines and improve our workflow.” Ebeam – or electron beam – technology uses high-energy electrons for a variety of applications, such as the sterilization of single-use medical devices, contamination control of consumer products, and modification of materials, such as heat shrink tubing, wire and cables and molded parts and many other uses. Mr. Swanson added that one specific use of ebeam technology being conducted at the Davenport facility involves helping improve furniture made by other companies. In this case, ebeams are used to cure the lamented wood used to make the furniture. The technology is also used on printing presses, coating lines and laminating lines. One ebeam system is specifically geared to curing ink on products, according to the company’s website. During Wednesday’s ceremony, which attracted about 100 people on a sunny, warm November day, the company president said PCT employees do an amazing job of helping improve products and helping other companies all around the world.

 “This is an amazing company,” he said. Chris Caves, vice president of business and economic growth at the Quad Cities Chamber, told the crowd that the PCT project will have a $4 million annual economic impact on the region. Others at the brief groundbreaking ceremony thanked company officials, business partners who are helping create the building addition and economic development officials.  “Thank you for being such a great Davenport company,” said Susanne Knutsen, economic development manager for the city of Davenport. The company’s history dates to 1986 when it was founded by Hermant Patel, Dave Cutright and Terry Thompson, three engineers working at Alcoa. (The three engineers’ last names form "PCT" in the company name.) At that time, it was called PCT Engineered Systems. The company moved to its current site in 2007. Local owners took over the company in 2018, according to the website.