THREE RIVERS, Mich. — Armstrong International broke ground June 20 for a new 29,000-square foot industrial heat-pump manufacturing wing at its Three Rivers, Michigan, campus. The project is supported through a grant of just over $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

“Accelerating electric heat pump manufacturing is crucial to strengthening the domestic supply chain and providing consumers with efficient heating and cooling technology,” said Jeff Marootian, the DOE’s principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, in a press release from Armstrong. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, these investments will reduce our nation’s dependency on fossil fuels, while creating good-paying jobs and helping families and businesses save money on their energy bills.”

The grant will enable Armstrong to significantly bolster its manufacturing capabilities, specifically to produce specialized industrial heat pumps designed for applications that require more than 100 kW of heat and temperatures above 180°F, the press release said. The heat pumps will particularly benefit manufacturers in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, paper, and personal care products industries, Armstrong said.

"We are truly honored to have been selected for this grant, and we view it as a validation of our commitment to innovation and offering sustainable solutions to the highly technical issues companies face when implementing their decarbonization strategies," said Kurt Armstrong, Armstrong’s CEO. "The DOE funds will play a crucial role in expediting the production and adoption of our high-temperature industrial heat pumps in the United States."