Wall panels formerly manufactured in China will be produced in Fairbanks. Fairbanks based Bucher Glass has invested in machinery and employees to fabricate curtain walls used to façade buildings. The company has installed wall skins imported from China on many large buildings both outside and in Alaska, including the new Tanana Chief’s Health clinic in Fairbanks.
Bucher Glass Treasurer Kevin Zayas says new federal tariffs on curtain walls from China forced his company to make a decision.
“We can probably get a much bigger profit margin if we were to go to Mexico now, and get curtain wall,” Zayas said. “We could do that, but we decided not to, wanna keep it in state and we wanna contribute as best as we can to the economy.”
Zayas says the company has invested about $600,000 in manufacturing equipment and worked with a local union to develop a workforce.
Zayas says the local manufacture of curtain walls is providing 15 to 20 new jobs.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
