Find Sweet Success in Pennsylvania

State offers a smorgasbord of advantages for innovative companies and startups.

By Bill Lewis on July 8, 2022

Hersheypark

Pennsylvania has parlayed a winning combination of affordability, prime location and skilled workforce into an $839.4 billion economic powerhouse.

The state is at the forefront of innovation in leading-edge fields such as biotech, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. The economy includes major sectors in life science, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, logistics and e-commerce.

The competitive business environment in Pennsylvania includes world-class higher education institutions, renowned research capabilities and access to more than 40% of the U.S. population and 60% of Canadian purchasing power.

A world-class infrastructure includes ports that offer access to the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, three Class I rail carriers and international air service.

Comcast

Well-Known Brands in Pennsylvania

Brands with household names that call Pennsylvania home include iconic candy maker Hershey, United States Steel, Comcast, Rite Aid and so many more.

Pharmaceutical distributor AmerisourceBergen also has its international headquarters in the Keystone State.

One of the great benefits about AmerisourceBergen’s Conshohocken headquarters is the area’s dynamic community – employees have direct access to public and bike-friendly transportation options as well as restaurants and retail amenities downtown.

“When people see our headquarters, I want them to know that it represents so much more than an office space – it represents a workforce that’s dedicated to ensuring access to vital medications and therapies here in the U.S. and across the globe,” says Steve Collis, chairman, president and CEO of AmerisourceBergen.

Growing in Pennsylvania

Another pharmaceutical-related company that has found the state to its liking is Sharp, a clinical supply chain services and contract pharmaceutical packaging company with a long history in the Lehigh Valley. Sharp is investing $43 million and adding 335 jobs to its nearly 1,100-member workforce with expansions at its facilities in Allentown and Conshohocken and a third facility in Lehigh County.

Sharp recognized Pennsylvania’s strengths in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, and also received financial assistance through the Governor’s Action Team in coordination with local leaders.

It was that commitment and cooperation among local and state officials that spoke to Ball Corp. The Colorado-based aluminum can company looked at a number of possible sites for a state-of-the-art aluminum beverage packaging manufacturing operation before selecting Pittston, a community in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. The project will create 230 well-paying jobs.

Similarly, e-commerce pet supply company Chewy cited a partnership with local and state governments in its decision to place a 155,000-square-foot pharmacy fulfillment center for orders of specialty foods, medications and prescriptions in Luzerne County. The company expects to create 550 full-time jobs, including pharmacist and leadership support positions.

Chewy also has fulfillment centers in Archbald, Lewisberry, Mechanicsburg and Wilkes-Barre.

Talent Pipeline

For Truck-Lite Co., a global leader in LED lighting systems for commercial vehicles, being located in Pennsylvania is the key to future success. The company announced the relocation of its headquarters to Knowledge Park at Penn State Behrend in Erie.

“As the transportation industry shifts toward electric vehicles, developing new innovations for customers relies on our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified talent,” says Brian Kupchella, CEO of Clarience Technologies, parent company of Truck-Lite.

Truck-Lite will lease nearly 30,000 square feet from Penn State Behrend, a long-time partner. Meanwhile, Penn State Behrend will invest in enhancements to its Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center, which will have laboratory and test space for Truck-Lite.

“Relocating our headquarters to Knowledge Park and expanding our association with Penn State Behrend – a major college of one of the country’s top universities and a longstanding Truck-Lite partner – creates a strong pipeline of future electrical engineers, data scientists and business leaders in the years to come,” Kupchella says.