#PAProud Blog: Manufacturing

Southwestern PA Training Center Funnels Skilled Workers into the Manufacturing Industry

January 13, 2021

New Century Careers (NCC) is working hard to make sure they are supporting southwestern Pennsylvania manufacturers by promoting the availability of their Manufacturing 2000 (M2K) program and through it, developing a skilled workforce that can continue to fuel the state’s historic manufacturing industry. Training Our Future Workforce The M2K program was created to back these […]

Championing Manufacturing: Meet Pennsylvania’s IRC Network

October 1, 2020

Pennsylvania’s Industrial Resource Center (IRC) Network, comprising seven not-for-profit organizations across the state, helps small to mid-sized manufacturers grow, thrive, and continue to be a vital part of Pennsylvania’s economy. The IRCs will expand their outreach to small and medium-sized businesses and continue to provide technical, strategic, and market-based assistance to manufacturers under Governor Wolf’s […]

How One College is Preparing Their Students for a Career in Manufacturing

February 18, 2020

There may be some misconceptions about the manufacturing industry – and Northampton Community College (NCC) is doing something about it. For many people, and for a variety of reasons, traditional higher education just isn’t in their plans—whether it’s a matter of cost or being eager to jump right into the workforce. Regardless, most people seek […]

Pennsylvania’s Snack Food Scene

January 6, 2020

Turkey Hill Experience, Lancaster County Pennsylvania proudly holds top rankings in dairy, produce, and livestock production, as well as high employment concentrations in food manufacturing. As we celebrate National Junk Food Day, there’s no better time to highlight one of the agribusiness sectors that we do best: snack foods. Since the founding of Pennsylvania, agribusiness […]

PIDA: Investing in Pennsylvania’s Industrial Enterprises

March 6, 2019

As part of the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) mission to grow and sustain business development across the commonwealth, it offers various funding programs. One such program, the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA), provides low-interest loans and lines of credit to businesses that commit to creating and retaining full-time jobs, and for the […]

Maker Monday: The Bakery Society Pittsburgh

December 17, 2018

Jami Pasquinell Occupation: Executive Director In December of 2014, Jami Pasquinelli joined Pittsburgh’s Economic Development South (EDS) community development corporation as the commercial district manager in the Mt. Oliver and Knoxville neighborhoods. She spearheaded The Bakery Society Pittsburgh (TBSP) project after she started the “Sweet Saturdays” event with EDS — an opportunity for community bakers […]

Maker Monday: Panther Boards

November 26, 2018

Panther Boards is a student-run company at William Tennent High School that produces fully custom, high-performance skis. The business offers student employees a unique way to gain experience as entrepreneurs through taking on executive positions in marketing, finance, technology, human resources, product design, graphic design, supply chain management, and hands-on production. Panther Boards creates each […]

Cheers to October, Pennsylvania Wine Month

October 24, 2018

October is Pennsylvania Wine Month, when we celebrate the impressive wineries, wine trails, and wine-inspired events throughout the Keystone State. Not only do they serve as tourist attractions and a fun date or group retreat – wineries also have an incredible economic impact on the families running them and the Pennsylvania citizens who reap the […]

Maker Monday: Acutec Precision Aerospace

October 12, 2018

Elisabeth Smith Occupation: President and CEO Owned by Elisabeth Smith, Acutec Precision Aerospace is a forward-thinking, data-driven machining and subassembly supplier partner serving the aerospace industry. In June 2018, Acutec announced the expansion of its manufacturing facility, which will create 60 new manufacturing jobs. For almost five years, Smith has managed operations at Acutec, and […]

Celebrating Manufacturing Every Day

October 2, 2018

This Friday, Oct. 5., Pennsylvania is celebrating National Manufacturing Day to help promote the fulfilling career opportunities offered by the PA manufacturing industry. We spoke with Secretary Davin to learn more about the role this important industry plays in our economy and how the PA Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) supports manufacturing every […]

What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?

October 2, 2018

In 2011, Jack Pfunder, CEO of the Manufacturers Resource Center in the Lehigh Valley, had the idea to create a student video contest to address outdated perceptions of manufacturing by showing students and parents what happens behind the doors of their local manufacturers. Six years later, the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing contest continues to […]

Maker Monday: Southern Tioga Makerspaces

August 20, 2018

Sarah Murray Occupation: Librarian Employer: Blossburg Elementary School and Liberty Elementary School Blossburg Elementary School and Liberty Elementary School, both part of the Southern Tioga School District, transformed portions of their respective libraries into makerspaces, enabling students to tinker, explore, and creatively involve themselves in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics […]

Maker Monday: Fox Meadows Creamery

July 30, 2018

Krista Fox Occupation: Research and Development Employer: Fox Meadows Creamery The Fox family started their dairy farm in the 1950s in Lancaster County, developing it into a leader in milk quality, animal husbandry, and milk production. Today, Fox Meadows Creamery offers a true cow-to-cone experience, creating hand-crafted ice cream with milk straight from their dairy […]

Matric Group Embarks on a New, Exciting Chapter

June 20, 2018

Matric, Group Seneca-based Matric Group provides world-class electronic manufacturing services for commercial, industrial, medical equipment, and aerospace markets. We spoke with president and chief executive officer Rick Turner to learn how the fast-growing, innovative company utilized the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) program to continually invest in its future with upgraded machinery and job training. […]

Maker Monday: DuraEdge Products

June 18, 2018

Kurt Mershimer Occupation: Project Engineer/Operations Manager Employer: DuraEdge Products DuraEdge specializes in the production of top-quality engineered soil products for the baseball and softball field industry. They provide long-term soil solutions — not just seasonal quick fixes — to clients at every level of play, from community parks to professional stadiums. How did you get […]

Pennsylvania Family-owned Plastic Company Earns Recognition

March 27, 2018

Plastek Group, Erie Plastek Group is a world-class manufacturer of plastics packaging for the personal care, home care, food and beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Headquartered in Erie, Pa., Plastek also has facilities in North Carolina, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Mexico offering industrial design, product and packaging development, mold design and injection, assembly, and […]

Lumi Juice Loves PA (and Means It)

November 30, 2017

A manufacturer of one hundred percent organic, cold-pressed, high-pressure processed juices and nutrition shots, Lumi Juice relocated to Malvern, Pa. We spoke to Hillary Lewis Murray, founder and CEO at Lumi Juice, to find out why her company chose Pennsylvania and what it means to them to be doing business in the Keystone State. Seeking […]

Drexel Knits New Layer of Advanced Manufacturing

November 15, 2017

The Drexel Center for Functional Fabrics, a regional hub for designing and prototyping smart fabrics, embodies the innovation, imagination, and legendary can-do spirit found in Pennsylvania. We toured the Center’s Shima Seiki Haute Technology Laboratory to learn how it creates fabrics that see, hear, sense, communicate, and even harvest energy. The Rise of the Internet […]

DelGrosso: A Multi-Generational – and Multi-Talented – PA Legacy

October 17, 2017

A third-generation family-run, homegrown business, The DelGrosso Family of Companies uniquely stands out as both an amusement park operator and a sauce manufacturer. The family operates a sauce plant in Blair County’s Tipton, Pa., on the premises of DelGrosso’s Amusement Park and Laguna Splash Water Park, America’s only Italian-themed water park. We recently spoke with […]

#IMakeInPA: Celebrating Manufacturing Careers & Opportunities

September 27, 2017

Part of what we do at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) every day is to promote the manufacturing industry, showcasing the positive impact it has both on the state’s economy and on working families. How could we not, knowing the industry has an $84 billion impact on PA’s economy and the […]

PA Has Become a Magnet for Attracting Business and Talent

September 18, 2017

Pennsylvania boasts a powerful set of advantages when it comes to business and talent attraction. Take it from John Boyd, principal at the Boyd Company Inc., an internationally recognized corporate site selection firm whose clients include PepsiCo, Visa International, Hewlett-Packard, JP Morgan Chase, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Dell. In the 2017 BizCosts Report, outlined in […]

Why Crystal Window & Door Systems Chose Pennsylvania

Crystal PA One Year Anniversary Ribbon Cutting

August 15, 2017

As a national manufacturer of vinyl and aluminum windows and doors, Crystal Window & Door Systems operates five production facilities and has distribution in more than 40 states around the country. In 2015, Pennsylvania became one of their newest production facilities. We spoke to Steve Chen, Chief Operating Officer at Crystal Window & Door Systems, […]

Give Peace a Chance: Drexel launches a unique new academic program

July 31, 2017

This article was previously published on KeystoneEdge.com Drexel University is launching a new graduate program in peace engineering, an emerging field that mashes up engineering and applied sciences with the social sciences to resolve or reduce violent conflicts. It is the first academic program of its kind in the United States. According to Director James […]

Pennsylvania’s Next Era in Energy

March 13, 2017

Our state is the 2nd largest natural gas producer in the nation, and our production has increased more than 2,400 percent in the past five years. In Pennsylvania, we will likely always be well-known for our coal, manufacturing, and steel—throughout history these industries have provided the necessary framework to support the advanced industries of today […]

Expanding the definition of ‘Made in PA’

November 21, 2016

Starting this month, the team from Keystone Edge — a digital magazine covering what’s next and best in Pennsylvania — will be giving #PAProud readers an inside look at each month’s issue. For November, it’s all about making things in Pennsylvania — past, present, and future. Our lead story looks at the maker movement across […]

What does it mean to be Made in PA?

October 3, 2016

Manufacturing is the foundation of Pennsylvania’s economy — our state boasts a deep heritage and rich legacy in the industry. Throughout the history of our nation, Pennsylvania has been a leader in manufacturing, and today, our unique blend of world-class R&D institutions, technology commercialization programs, technical and industrial resources, and our skilled workforce create a […]