ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Travaglini, an Italian company that designs and manufactures equipment to cure meats and other delicacies, has selected the Lehigh Valley as its first location in the United States.
- Travaglini, an Italian company that manufactures custom-designed equipment for curing meats and other delicacies, has chosen Allentown as its first US location
- The quality of life here makes the Lehigh Valley more attractive to Travaglini
- The precision of Travaglini's machinery is capable of handling the highest-quality delicacies, such as prosciutto and Parmesan cheese, according to the LVEDC
The company bought a building at 495 Business Park Lane in Allentown to serve as its home base, where it will serve its custom-designed machinery that dries, smokes and ferments cured meats, cheese and fish.
The state-of-the-art machinery is customized to suit the unique characteristics of each client's food products, incorporating crucial elements like humidity and temperature for faster and more uniform food curing than other technologies.
According to Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC), the level of precision is good enough to handle even the most premium delicacies such as prosciutto and Parmesan cheese.
“Travaglini is an example of the innovative, internationally owned companies that see the strategic advantage of locating in the Lehigh Valley."Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, vice president of Business Development and Attraction at LVEDC
“Travaglini is an example of the innovative, internationally owned companies that see the strategic advantage of locating in the Lehigh Valley where businesses enjoy significant access to the U.S. market at a cost that is more affordable than locations closer to New York City," according to a written release from Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, vice president of Business Development and Attraction at LVEDC.
"We’ve seen a notable uptick in interest from foreign-owned companies in the post-COVID economy,” she added.
Daniele Negri, Travaglini project manager, said that access is key to the company choosing the Lehigh Valley as its first location in the United States.
The Lehigh Valley, being in close proximity to major highways and with access to efficient cargo transport services at Lehigh Valley International Airport, is conveniently situated merely an hour away from direct flights to the company's Italian headquarters.
Moreover, the region is home to educational institutions that churn out skilled technical professionals required for the company's operations, and a thriving food production industry, making it an ideal market for the company.
What sweetened the deal, Negri said, was the quality of life here.
He said the Lehigh Valley felt like home, with the landscape and climate nearly identical to c, a northern Italian region where Bologna, Modena, and Parma are located.
“It’s the same nature — the same animals, the same trees, the same temperature,” Negri said. “Right now, if I look at the weather report, it would be exactly the same weather here in the Lehigh Valley as it is back home. It’s incredible.”
Travaglini’s move underscores the Lehigh Valley's allure to globally-owned businesses amidst a time when supply chain challenges caused by the pandemic have compelled companies to reassess their global footprint.
There has been an influx of interest from foreign direct investment in recent years, according to the LVEDC.
