Incubator client purchases city building to expand operations

The Technical Innovation Center at Hagerstown Community College recently announced that its graduate client, P&D Creative Co. Inc., has expanded to larger facilities in Hagerstown. 

“Watching a firm, which began with one person with an entrepreneurial vision, grow to become an international distributor of products developed and manufactured in Hagerstown is one of the great rewards of managing the incubator,” says TIC manager Chris Marschner.  “Developing nations offer significant growth opportunities for entrepreneurs. Small American manufacturers can compete in the international arena when they develop innovative products that solve tough problems.”

P&D Creative Co. owner Paresh Shah acquired the property on East Franklin Street in October 2011 for the expansion. The new facility will house its global production and marketing operations as well as an up-and-coming research and development (R&D) facility. Packaging, shipping and warehousing will also take place in the new location.

According to Shah, a new company “EffectiveClean, LLC.” was formed in 2010 by P&D Creative Co. and targets retail consumers in the domestic and oversea markets. Over the past 18 months, the company has conducted extensive market research and consumer testing for its effective™ detergent consumer products. The positive response from the consumers confirms that there is a significant demand of the company’s detergent products with its triple action formulation and unique packaging. Locally, Spichers Appliances distributes P&D products for its line of high efficiency washing machines.

In December 2011, EffectiveClean LLC signed an agreement with “Vibhava Industries Ltd.,” a leading manufacturer of consumer products located in India, to promote Effective™ detergent and other Effective™ products in southern India. The agreement will provide Indian consumers with Effective™ products in over 2000 retail outlets. Vibhava Industries has been in business over 15 years and has extensive distribution networks with multiple distribution facilities and extensive sales organization. Retail sales of Effective™ detergent products in India are expected to exceed $1 million in the first year of the distribution agreement.

P&D Creative Co. Inc., is a leading manufacturer of environmentally friendly household, institutional and industrial green products, has been selling domestically and internationally for more than 17 years. The company has 16 products ranging from Cleaners, Degreasers, Detergent to Paint strippers that are marketed under the brand name MAGIC 555™ and MotorPro™. All products are completely safe, nontoxic and 100% biodegradable green products. The firm began its operations in 1994 as the first commercial tenant of the business incubator at HCC. The firm graduated from the incubator in 1998 and now employs 38 people worldwide. Learn more at www.pdcreativeinc.com [1].
 

The Technical Innovation Center (TIC) is Washington County’s full service technology business incubator at Hagerstown Community College.  The mission of the TIC is to foster entrepreneurship and technology business creation in the region to help diversify the local economy and to promote the creation of higher wage employment opportunities for HCC students and the citizens of Washington County.  For more information on the Technical Innovation Center, call 240-500-2399, or visit www.technicalinnovationcenter.com [2].