President Obama Live News Coverage

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeast Building Products, a Philadelphia based manufacturer of energy-efficient windows had recently been in the spotlight for expanding its workforce from 185 to 285 employees -- at a time when few others were hiring. The family-owned business had been featured by news organizations such as ABC World News and the Philadelphia Inquirer as a success story of Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus package. In a speech at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke cited Northeast Building Products as an example of how the Recovery Act's $80 billion in clean energy investments had not only helped create jobs, but was helping the U.S. curb greenhouse gas emissions by promoting the use of energy-efficient technologies.

For Northeast Building Products, the recognition was a testament to hard work, innovation, and a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. In 2009, Northeast won two of the window industry's most coveted awards: Window and Door Magazine's Crystal Achievement Award for "Most Innovative Plant" and the "Greenest Manufacturer" award from Door and Window Manufacturer Magazine. The company has invested heavily in green technologies such as Sashlite, an innovative window spacer system that delivers high performance, energy-efficient windows, thus allowing Northeast customers to qualify for a $1,500 energy tax credit.

While Obama's stimulus plan has certainly had a positive effect on Northeast Building Product's business, the greatest impact may be from the company's recognition by the President in his State of the Union address. In defending his stimulus plan the President said: "Talk to the window manufacturer in Philadelphia who said he was skeptical of the Recovery Act until he added two shifts due to the business it created." This brief statement by the President has resulted in hundreds of calls from news organizations and well-wishers.

Since the State of the Union address, Northeast's CEO and President, Alan Levin has been interviewed by CNN, CBS and Bloomberg TV. According to Levin: "We are thrilled that President Obama mentioned us in his address. Since our founding in 1975, we've always strived to produce the highest quality products. It is this philosophy that led us to create high performance windows, and as a result, we've been able to capitalize on the need for eco-friendly, energy-saving products."

Since Obama's address, Northeast Building Products has experienced a significant increase in sales. The company's independent dealers and distributors -- who sell Northeast products directly to consumers -- are delighted by the publicity, and have also seen their sales grow. According to one source: "President Obama gave Northeast a first stimulus through the 2009 Recovery Act, and a second through his speech."

About Northeast Building Products

Since its founding in 1975, Northeast Building Products has grown from a small 1,800 SF jalousie and glass block basement window manufacturer to a full-service manufacturer and distributor of vinyl, wood and aluminum windows and doors. The Company serves over 9,000 customers including distributors, dealers and contractors, and produces over 200,000 windows per year. Operating in a state-of-the art facility covering over 225,000 SF, Northeast employs 285 people and markets its products under the "Camelot" name.

SOURCE Northeast Building Products