Jason Lammertin, CEO, Solid Platforms Inc. (l to r), William Sproule, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters’ Executive Secretary-Treasurer and Johnstown Mayor Sylvia King, at SPI’s new manufacturing facility.

Union-Backed Manufacturing Partnership Creates Good-Paying Jobs In A Historic Bethlehem Steel Building, With Plans To More Than Double The Workforce

JOHNSTOWN, PA, UNITED STATES, April 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EASRCC) and Solid Platforms recently celebrated the grand opening of the Spilock scaffold manufacturing facility in Johnstown, a partnership bringing manufacturing jobs back to a city built on industrial pride.

The new plant, in a former Bethlehem Steel Corp. building, fabricates scaffolding components from American-made steel for construction and industrial clients nationwide.

The EASRCC has been a driving force behind the launch. Solid Platforms, a long-standing signatory contractor with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, built the venture on union values emphasizing fair wages, skilled labor and community investment. Leaders say the project is more than a factory opening, it is a proof of concept for labor-led economic development.

“This partnership is built on shared values: commitment to union labor, professional excellence and long-term growth for our members,” said William Sproule, executive secretary-treasurer of the EASRCC. “Together with Solid Platforms, we are invested in people, strengthening domestic manufacturing and building a sustainable future.”

“When I found out about it, I just said it’s really hard to believe, being born and raised here and lived here all that time,” said Justin Brehm of Local 423. “I never would have dreamed I would have had an opportunity to work for a company right here where I live.”

The union’s role extends beyond staffing the facility. The EASRCC partnered with Solid Platforms to design and deliver a new training curriculum, including welding certifications that expand carpenters’ capabilities and strengthen long-term employability. This cross-trade approach reflects the union’s strategy of investing in members as complete tradespeople.

For carpenters now working at the Spilock facility, the investment is personal. Johnstown has endured decades of economic hardship since the decline of the steel industry, and the EASRCC’s commitment to anchoring quality jobs in the region carries real meaning.

Union officials say the facility means more work, more skills and more stability for carpenters in the region. The EASRCC views the Johnstown operation as a replicable model for growing union market share through strategic manufacturing partnerships.

The company's and the union's visions are closely aligned, said Solid Platforms CEO Jason Lammertin. Both seek a trained multidisciplinary workforce positioned for long-term growth.

“By creating jobs, what we’re doing is looking for the next stage of the work,” Lammertin said. “We’re forming not only what we’ll call the super trade, but how we do it, executing the work to perfection, learning more, doing more and being that complete symbol for someone who says, ‘I need.’ We are that support system.”

Both organizations emphasized that the Johnstown facility marks the continuation of a long-term partnership. Training investments, welding certification programs and workforce expansion reflect a shared belief that labor and management are strongest when they advance together.

The Spilock facility employs more than 30 union workers, with plans to more than double that number in the coming year. The EASRCC will support that growth through continued workforce development and labor placement.

About the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
The Council represents tens of thousands of union carpenters across the mid-Atlantic region. The Council promotes wages, benefits and working conditions through strategic labor partnerships, workforce training and investment in domestic manufacturing. Its partnership with Solid Platforms at the Spilock facility reflects its commitment to creating good-paying, skilled union jobs in members’ communities.

About Solid Platforms Inc.
Solid Platforms Inc. is a scaffolding manufacturing and contracting company headquartered in Johnstown, Pa. A long-standing signatory contractor with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the company fabricates Spilock scaffold components using American-made steel for construction and industrial clients nationwide. Solid Platforms partners with the EASRCC to deliver a union workforce trained across multiple disciplines.

Video
Video footage of the Spilock facility grand opening, including remarks from union and company representatives, is available for media use. Click here to view the video Solid Platforms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EpNbpYZvMs

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