Access to Markets
Pennsylvania’s geographic proximity to key markets and global decision makers provide companies with a prime location to do business. The state is located within a day’s drive of 60 percent of the United States and Canadian populations, including six of the 10 largest markets in the United States. This fact alone attracts companies who want to reach customers, suppliers and markets quickly, and Pennsylvania’s comprehensive transportation network ensures this happens.
Boasting interstate highways, modern freight railroads and six international airports, Pennsylvania makes logistics and transportation easy. The three major ports – Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Erie – offer access to the Atlantic Ocean, The Great Lakes and The Gulf of Mexico. This comprehensive intermodal transport network keeps business moving across the country – and around the world.
Partnership and Collaboration with Higher Education
University partnerships also help bring early stage technology and innovations to the marketplace, and Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 public and private higher education institutions, and five of the top 50 educational institutions in the country including Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, University of Pittsburgh and Villanova University.
In southwestern Pennsylvania, several global corporates – including Uber, Google and Ford – are making significant investments in the technology and robotics scene in Pittsburgh while working with world-class institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh.
A Hardworking and Highly-Skilled Workforce
Each year, Pennsylvania’s universities award almost 150,000 credentials, ensuring the workforce pipeline is filled with critical thinkers, innovators and problem solvers.
At 6.5 million strong, Pennsylvania’s workforce offers hardworking, skilled and resilient individuals who support businesses across the state’s vast and diverse industries. And, throughout the state, universities and workforce programs have forged partnerships that strengthen this growing workforce.
For example, the WEDNetPA training offers an employer-driven program to make businesses more competitive, all while keeping employee skills current and relevant. Businesses can decide how, when and where employees receive the training, making it a responsive and flexible program. As of Fiscal Year 2015-2016, WEDNetPA assisted more than 18,000 businesses and trained more than 1.1 million employees in Pennsylvania.
Expansion and Relocation Services
Touting the assets that Pennsylvania offers, the Governor’s Action Team (GAT) works directly with companies looking to grow or relocate to the state of Pennsylvania. GAT assembles an assistance package tailored to the needs of each prospect, including grants, loans, and technical assistance and tax credits. From site selection to economic insights, GAT saves businesses invaluable time and money.
And, GAT knows that strategic investments will not only positively impact profitability of a company, but also boost Pennsylvania’s local economics and raise the standard of living for residents in the state.
Investment in Business Attraction and Retention
Pennsylvania’s assets and GAT attract many businesses to Pennsylvania and keep them there. In 2016, the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and GAT helped create and retain 200,000 full-time jobs as a result of Governor Tom Wolf’s commitment to creating “Jobs That Pay.” A total of 58 projects in 2016 alone will create 5,000 new, full-time jobs, and invest $150 million in the commonwealth, including a number of substantial projects.
Amazon announced plans to expand and invest $150 million and create 5,000 new, full-time jobs across the state to further support its Prime operations. The state’s strategic location puts the company closer to its customer base, allowing it to accommodate two-hour and one-hour delivery services.
Shell chose Beaver County in 2016 as the site of its new ethane cracker plant. This game-changing, multibillion-facility will support up to 6,000 construction jobs and at least 600 full-time jobs when completed. As the first major U.S. petrochemical project of its kind outside the Gulf Coast region, the plant will also create vast downstream opportunities for the entire state.
Highlighting the downstream opportunities, DCED and the Team Pennsylvania Foundation recently released a comprehensive study by IHS Markit around the petrochemical and plastics industries. The report forecasts $2.7 to $3.7 billion in investments in natural gas liquid assets and petrochemical and plastics manufacturing, as well as the opportunity to attract up to four additional cracker plants in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is also attracting new businesses and investment from overseas. Thanks to the Office of International Business Development, six international companies chose Pennsylvania in 2016, committing to invest $1.4 million to support more than 700 jobs.
The state will continue to attract businesses from around the globe. From business resources and diverse communities to cultural assets and inspirational individuals, the companies, communities and people that call Pennsylvania home continue to make it a premier place to work smart and live happy, and will attract business to the state in the years to come.
Visit http://www.expansionsolutionsmagazine.com/pennsylvania_ed for local economic development office directory listings.
