September 8, 2019 - A West Virginia manufacturer now has a second shift at its facility to meet the demand for its services, the company announced Thursday.

Industrial Plating & Machine successfully added new employees and a second shift this week at its manufacturing facility in Bluefield, according to a press release. After diversifying its customer base, IPM wanted to add to its workforce to help meet a growing demand. This expansion resulted in long-term career opportunities.

Industrial Plating & Machine in Bluefield, West Virginia

IPM President and CEO J. Shannon Remines said the growth is not just good for IPM, but also for the local economy.

“Having an expanded second shift allows our production team to reduce turnaround time,” Remines said. “It ensures our customers keep their machines working, but also creates jobs and in turn stimulates the economy in our community.”

Remines said in phase one,15 new employees were hired and the company expanded its second shift. For phase two, 25 new candidates have been identified.

“We are awaiting contract confirmations during the Bluefield Coal Show before we onboard those employees,” Courtney Clark Hill, vice president for communications said Thursday.

In late July, IPM held a jobs fair at its Route 52 location to find new employees including machinists, welders and mechanics, Ronnie Marshall, IPM senior vice president, said then that the demand for products prompted the company to increase its workforce. The company has diversified from a focus on the mining industry to include other industries.

The second shift was added Tuesday at IPM’s headquarters in Bluefield. The facility, which offers up to 250,000 square feet of production space, is home to state-of-the-art machine, tool and fabricating equipment, company officials said. IPM is an original equipment manufacturer, also offering industrial and mining equipment rebuilds.