Dieffenbach's Potato Chips expands

Dieffenbach's Potato Chips - a kettle chips manufacturer in Pennsylvania producing for the local market - couldn't produce more of its product without expanding its facility. And that's exactly what the Dieffenbach family decided to do.

On Saturday, the company's kettle chips began churning out from the 10,000-square-foot addition off Host Road, said Dwight Zimmerman, vice president of sales.

"As a company, it will allow us to continue to grow,"said Nevin Dieffenbach, president. "Right now, running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we don't have a lot of capacity left. To continue to grow, we needed to add on to our plant. As our customers continue to sell potato chips, we need to be able to produce more."

The new facility, which is attached to the old and cost about $2.6 million, more than doubles the chip maker's capacity for production. Zimmerman, brother-in-law to Dieffenbach, said the company operated two kettles and now operates five.

"Right now, we are working 24/7 and we are looking forward to this,"Zimmerman said.

Dieffenbach's father, Elam, the second-generation owner, said the company will probably need additional employees, but it is not hiring yet. It employs about 50.

Dieffenbach added that the new facility will require less water usage and produce less waste.