Penn Troy

Each month, we recognize one of the region’s top
manufacturers with the aid of nepirc, the Northeastern
Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center. Since 1988,
nepirc has been working with manufacturers to improve
their productivity, profitability, competitiveness and
long-term viability through consultative services.
Penn-Troy’s explosion relief valves used around the globe
It was an explosion in 1947 in the
engine room of a World War II
vintage ship that claimed 28 lives
off the shore of Belfast, Northern
Ireland, and ultimately led to the
technology that is the foundation
for Penn-Troy Manufacturing’s
existence today.
Two years after the accident, the British
government commissioned the British Internal
Combustion Engine Research Association
(BICERA) to develop a system to avoid another
occurrence of the accident.
That commission ultimately created a
pressure safety device to thwart future
explosions in diesel engines.
In 1959, Chuck Parsons of Troy, Pa.,
purchased the patent for the BICERA
explosion relief valve and began
manufacturing them at a plant in his
hometown.
Shipbuilders purchased and installed the
valves on diesel engines aboard supertankers,
cruise ships and other marine vessels, with
orders for the parts coming from customers
around the world.
Today, the BICERA crankcase
explosion relief valve is not only
used by the marine industry, but also
by other industries that use diesel
engines and large compressors,
including the gas, oil and locomotive
industries.
Penn-Troy Manufacturing is headed
by Mark Powers, a third-generation
operator whose grandfather, Ed
Powers, purchased the company
after the founder passed away. Later,
Mark’s father, Greg, took over and
then when he passed away, Mark
became the company’s president.
Penn-Troy employs 30 people and
turned to the Northeast Pennsylvania
Industrial Resource Center for
assistance with streamlining its
operations.
Penn-Troy’s employees gather for a group photo outside the company’s plant in Troy, Pa.
“NEPIRC has been a huge help
for us. Our plant is in a building
that was erected in 1870. It was NEPIRC that
helped us to organize our process and our
explosion relief valve in mid
with new models of compressors
shops to the point that we became much more for the fracking industry, models
2014. The new model will be
efficient, resulting in a better bottom line and
smaller in size and will handle
that are smaller in size and more
better customer service,” Powers said.
explosions of greater magnitude.
efficient,” he said.
“NEPIRC’s training helped our employees
“We have seen a one to two
Just as the compressor and
improve our facilities. Just last month, we
percent growth in our business
engine manufacturers upgrade
passed the ISO 9000-2008 certification, which their equipment, Penn-Troy is
over the years and are looking
was a great accomplishment for our company
forward to a greater increase in
also constantly doing research
and a tribute to the assistance that NEPIRC
production as we release the new
to make improvements to its
provided,” he said.
relief valve,” Powers said.
products. In fact, Penn-Troy will
Powers said the gas and oil industries create be releasing a new crankcase
some of the biggest demand for his products.
With the advent of the gas fracking industry,
that demand has increased.
“Our customers are constantly coming out
This feature is sponsored by...
Live Mercury
One model of the BICERA
explosion relief valve
Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal · January 2014
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