Phoenix Contact wants tax abatement for renovations, job growth in Pittsfield Township

The company, which has U.S. headquarters in Pennsylvania and employs 11,000 workers worldwide, purchased the 27,160-square-foot, former Atwell-Hicks building at 500 Avis Drive in late 2010 after the building fell into foreclosure. Phoenix Contact develops PC-based control technologies for industrial automation.

The company had previously been leasing an office in Avis Farms at 935 Technology Drive, but decided to purchase the neighboring building as its lease was set to expire.

Vince Carioti, global automotive manager at Phoenix Contact, said that since January 2011 the company has hired seven employees and plans to hire an additional four, pushing its local payroll up to 42 workers.

Carioti said the company is just wrapping up extensive renovations at the building, which was completely gutted and brought up to the company’s “corporate standards.”

“We made the first floor into a technology center along with customer training, and on the second floor is where we have all our employees and we do our engineering,” he said.

A public hearing for the request is set for May 9 before the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees meeting.