Comcast and DirecTV installer UniTek ramps up hiring 18 months after Chapter 11 emergence

Nearly 18 months after emerging from restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the precise "structure" of King of Prussia, Penn.-based installer UniTek Global services remains unclear. 

But the company, which handles installation work for both Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and AT&T/DirecTV (NYSE: T), does seem to be ramping up on the pay-TV side of its business.

On Tuesday, the company placed wanted ads to fill 11 installer positions for its FTS USA division, serving Comcast contracts in Huntsville and Mobile, Ala., Nashville and Memphis Tenn., Little Rock, Ark., and Fort Worth, Texas, among other locations.  

This followed the Sunday posting of 20 help wanted ads for UniTek's DirectSAT division, which services DirecTV, with position locations ranging from Harrisburg, Bethlehem and Pittsburgh, Penn. to Fairfield, N.J. to Green Bay, Wis.

In November 2014, UniTek announced it would stay in business as it worked with its lenders and tried to restructure debt totaling $186 million versus assets of just $3 million. At the time, the company employed 3,200 workers.

UniTek emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in January 2015 with new capitalization from its lenders. 

John Haggerty was named interim CEO, replacing Rocky Romanella, who had guided the company through Chapter 11 proceedings. Under the Delaware U.S. Bankruptcy Court's reorganization plan, New Mountain Finance, Littlejohn & Co. and UniTek's other lenders invested new capital into the installation company and modified interest rates. 

A representative at the company told FierceInstaller in August that marketing, public relations and all other departments in the company's King of Prussia headquarters had been liquidated. She also said that recently named CEO John Haggerty was unavailable for comment.

Calls Tuesday into the company's headquarters to reach marketing and operational staff were directed to UniTek's Pinnacle Wireless division in Fair Lawn, N.J. Messages left for business operations executives didn't result in returned phone calls. Privately held UniTek hasn't released any public correspondence since announcing its emergence from Chapter 11

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