A long-discussed plan by Pitco to build a huge manufacturing facility off in Concord has been scrapped, with the company focusing instead on its existing two sites in Bow and one in Pembroke.
“We decided that this wasn’t the right investment decision at this time,” said Nathan Melsom, vice president and general manager of Pitco, which makes commercial fryer equipment. “We are going to focus on improving our existing facilities.”
The idea for the huge facility on a 54-acre site on Integra Drive was first approved by the Concord Planning Board in September 2021. The firm said it wanted to consolidate into one complex with offices, manufacturing and warehouse space. The project was projected to have so many jobs in one place — some 400 — that the approval process included discussion about dealing with heavy traffic during shift changes.
Over the years, the proposal was postponed three times for various reasons, including permitting. It was cited by the City of Concord as a huge boon to the tax base, representing the largest new construction since the Steeplegate Mall.
Melom said the company is putting the land up for sale.
Pitco dates back to 1918 with discoveries on how to better control deep-fat frying by the J. C. Pitman and Sons Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers. It has been in Bow since 1950.
Pitco also makes and sells a variety of filtration, oil-handling and water-cooking equipment. It was purchased by Middleby Corp., a global manufacturer of food equipment, in 2001.
Melom emphasized that Pitco is not pulling back from New Hampshire, saying that it had added more than two dozen this year to its sites and was looking at the possibility of adding manufacturing in Penacook.
“The commitment is still there. We have just moved focus away from new building to existing buildings,” he said.
