Communications technology firm starts Fresno expansion

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Pana Pacific makes and distributes equipment for commercial vehicles -- everything from radios to refrigerators. They've been in Downtown Fresno for 15 years, but now they are moving, building a bigger facility and eventually doubling the local workforce.

Pana Pacific has outgrown its assembly and shipping operation in Downtown Fresno and is moving east to the Fancher Creek Business Park. Groundbreaking on the 150,000-square-foot building took place on Monday.

Company President John Trenberth says the new facility will provide room to grow. "It gives us about 40,000 more square feet of operating space. We have a tremendous amount of inventory, raw materials and we ship over 600,000 parts a month."

Construction means hundreds of jobs, and once built the company expects to add from 100 to 200 employees, starting next year. The city of Fresno cut red tape, and waived nearly $200,000 in permit fees to give the company a boost.

Mayor Ashley Swearengin believes it will pay off. "We know in creating the jobs they will create those jobs then generate multiple other jobs, so it more than makes up for itself in revenue at City Hall, so that's been a big difference."

It's a major boost for the Fancher Creek development which languished for years during the recession, but Scott Anderson of Fancher Creek Properties says this is another key step in getting the entire project moving.

"It's a master planned community -- 480 acres," said Anderson. "We've got a Fancher Creek Town Center at Clovis and Tulare which is a million square feet of office retail and big box; it's more of what you would see at River Park, that's one of the major catalyst projects for the entire area and that's going to be right on the heels of this."

Pana Pacific hopes to start hiring additional employees once the building is completed in about a year.