Governor Shapiro Gets Stuff Done: During First Year in Office, Shapiro Administration Secured Over $1.2 Billion in Private Sector Investments in Pennsylvania
December 19, 2023
In his inaugural budget address, Governor Shapiro sent a clear message that Pennsylvania is open for business and his Administration would make the Commonwealth a leader in innovation, job creation, and economic development.
Over the past year, the Shapiro Administration has supported 27 companies expanding to or in Pennsylvania, creating and retaining hundreds of jobs while reigniting Pennsylvania’s economy.
Harrisburg, PA – Following through on his commitment to make Pennsylvania a national leader in economic development, innovation, and job creation, Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration got stuff done in his first year in office, securing more than $1.2 billion in private sector investments through their direct involvement with businesses looking to move to or expand in Pennsylvania.
These critical investments have sent the clear message that Pennsylvania is open for business – and that the Shapiro Administration is committed to investing in economic development opportunities that support communities across the Commonwealth.
Private Sector Investments Spurred by the Shapiro Administration – By the Numbers:
- JOBS CREATED: 2,174
- JOBS RETAINED: 5,715
- TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT: $1,211,281,706
Several projects coordinated through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Governor’s Action Team (GAT), under the leadership of DCED Secretary Rick Siger, have led to the creation of nearly 2,000 good-paying jobs across the Commonwealth, have helped to retain over 5,000 jobs, and led to a total investment of over $1 billion in Pennsylvania communities.
Highlights of the Shapiro Administration’s work to secure private sector investments in Pennsylvania include:
- April 12: Governor Shapiro joined leadership from EMD Electronics to announce a $300 million investment in semiconductor specialty gases manufacturing that will retain nearly 300 jobs in Schuylkill County, including 68 permanent, union jobs. As part of its investment, EMD Electronics – a global leader in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing – will build a new 96,500-square-foot facility, creating the largest integrated specialty gases facility in the world.
- April 26: Governor Shapiro announced that Prysmian Group North America – a world leader in energy and telecommunications cable systems – will expand its existing Williamsport manufacturing facility, creating at least 27 new jobs in Lycoming County and retaining a total of 407 jobs statewide.
- May 1: Governor Shapiro – joined by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward and Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman – joined Re:Build Manufacturing and RIDC to announce an $81 million investment to create a major, innovation-focused manufacturing operation in the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park that will create 300 high-quality jobs in Westmoreland County.
- May 19: Governor Shapiro announced that Shank’s Extracts LLC – a specialty ingredient, flavors and botanical extracts company based in Pennsylvania for 124 years – will expand operations at its East Hempfield Township headquarters in Lancaster County and invest $30.5 million into the project, creating at least 83 new jobs, and retaining 234 statewide jobs within the next three years.
- June 6: Governor Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania-based Purolite, an Ecolab company and manufacturer of high-quality resins used to make life-saving drugs, will expand and invest $190 million to create the first U.S. operations of its Global Biologics Division in Chester County, creating 175 new jobs.
- June 22: Governor Shapiro announced that Schless Bottles, a premium plastic jars and bottles manufacturer, will relocate from its current manufacturing facility in northern New Jersey to Allentown. The company will invest more than $7.5 million in building acquisition and renovation costs and create 98 new, full-time manufacturing jobs in the Commonwealth within the next three years.
- June 28: Governor Shapiro announced that EAM-Mosca Corp., a leading provider of automatic strapping systems used in commercial packaging and headquartered in Hazleton, will invest $20.6 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Luzerne County, creating at least 50 new good-paying jobs within the next three years.
- August 3: Governor Shapiro announced that The Corrugated Partner Group, a company in the mid-Atlantic region that primarily produces single-, double- and triple-wall corrugated sheets — materials that form boxes, will invest nearly $53 million in Franklin County. The Corrugated Partners Group’s manufacturing operation will be known as Keystone Sheets, and its first location in Pennsylvania will be a 420,000-square foot facility creating at least 80 jobs over the next three years.
- October 24: Governor Shapiro announced thatWestinghouse, a Pittsburgh-based company will further develop its eVinci™ microreactor in Allegheny County. As part of its project, the company will invest at least $18 million, retain 3,100 jobs statewide, and create more than 40 new high-paying jobs to develop the transportable nuclear battery technology, which will provide clean energy for a variety of applications including off-grid communities, remote mining, defense facilities, and data centers.
- November 14: Governor Shapiro announced that Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh Aerospace Company will invest at least $20 million and create 283 new, high-tech jobs and retain 174 employees. Astrobotic develops advanced space robotics capabilities such as terrain relative navigation, mobile robotics for lunar surface operations, and reliable computing systems for mission-critical applications.
- November 16: Governor Shapiro announced that Burnside America Inc., a manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders, is investing $4.8 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Franklin County, which will create 15 new jobs and retain at least 32 existing jobs over the next three years. Burnside America is nearing completion of a 30,000-square-foot expansion of its existing operation which will double the size of the facility. The company will also purchase machinery and equipment to add two new production lines at its plant located in the nearby Cumberland Valley Business Park on the site of the former Letterkenny Army Depot.
- November 21: Governor Shapiro announced that Maid-Rite Specialty Foods, Inc., a manufacturer of ready-to-heat meals, was awarded a $451,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant to expand its manufacturing operation in Dunmore, Lackawanna County, create 75 new jobs over the next three years, and retain all 301 existing employees.
Read what Pennsylvania private sector leaders are saying about the Shapiro Administration’s investments in workers and businesses:
- President of EMD Electronics Jeff White: “We have been the employer of choice in Hometown for almost 50 years. Our commitment to level up our business in Schuylkill County bodes well for the community and its global impact on the semiconductor industry. We appreciate the efforts on the part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the value of our growth plans and work with us to make this expansion possible.”
- Andrea Pirondini, CEO of Prysmian Group North America: “The expansion of our Williamsport facility will support the growing needs of the power distribution market across North America and serve as an investment in both our factory and our current and future employees. This facility upgrade, funded substantially by a long-term supply agreement with Invenergy Transmission, will support Prysmian’s Advanced E3X conductor technology, used to build key long-distance high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission projects across the U.S., including the Grain Belt Express line and New Mexico North Path line. Through this agreement, we will supply up to 12,500 miles of overhead conductor cable from the Williamsport facility through 2029 to support Invenergy’s portfolio, helping to deliver electricity Americans can count on.”
- Jeff Wilke, Chairman and Co-Founder of Re:Build Manufacturing: “Growing up in the heartland, I experienced firsthand the impacts of the rise and fall of American manufacturing on the well-being of our country. We created Re:Build to help our nation secure a more resilient future by investing in high tech manufacturing. The new facility in New Kensington is a major milestone in this journey, helping to revitalize an area once central to American industry and bringing back much needed, sustainable jobs. A big thank you to Governor Shapiro and community leaders like Thomas Tull for helping make this project a reality.”
- George C. Freeman, III, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Corporation: “The expansion of our facilities at Shank’s Extracts will enable us to enhance and expand the product offerings of our plant-based ingredients platform. Through this platform, we provide a variety of value-added manufacturing processes to produce high-quality, specialty vegetable-and fruit-based ingredients, and we appreciate the support and partnership of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in this endeavor.”
- Hayley Crowe, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Purolite: “We are proud to expand our footprint in Pennsylvania with Purolite’s first U.S.-based biologics manufacturing plant. Purolite’s new facility will help bring security of supply to our global pharmaceutical and biotech customers, enabling lifesaving drugs to reach patients faster.”
- Mark Schlesinger, Executive Director, Schless Bottles: “I’d like to thank Governor Shapiro, the Governor’s Action Team and the people here in Allentown for helping to make this relocation happen. We look forward to being part of the Allentown community for many years to come and are excited to bring nearly 100 new jobs to the area.”
- Christian Wiethuechter, President & Chief Executive Officer at EAM-Mosca Corp.: “We are grateful for the support from Governor Shapiro and the Governor’s Action Team, who recognize that EAM-Mosca provides and creates high quality technology jobs in Pennsylvania. These jobs come from a true understanding of our clients’ needs and our engineering efforts on the mechanical and electrical side to produce a highly automated solution that meets an unmet need no one else has been able to satisfy, and that’s what’s made us successful in Pennsylvania and across the world.”
- Mike Ross, President, Franklin County Area Development Corporation: “The collaborative efforts of the Franklin County Area Development Corporation and the Shapiro Administration was instrumental in Corrugated Partners Group’s decision to locate Keystone Sheets in Chambersburg. The creation of 80 manufacturing jobs will have a significant impact on our local economy.”
- Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO: “Westinghouse is grateful for the support we have received from Gov. Shapiro, Sec. Siger, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Borough of Etna, to help bring this advanced nuclear technology to the world. We have deep roots in Pennsylvania and we are excited to continue building the future of clean energy right here.”
- John Thornton, Astrobotic CEO: “We’re deeply grateful to the Governor for his support of Astrobotic’s growth plans. We believe Astrobotic’s latest expansion on Reedsale is a clear indicator of new high tech growth in the Commonwealth, particularly in the space industry. We’re excited to continue working with Governor Shapiro and Sec. Siger to build on Astrobotic’s progress, and make Pennsylvania a nationally recognized center of space and defense innovation.”
- Tony Morrisey, Plant Manager, Burnside America: “The support that Burnside America has received from the Commonwealth shows Pennsylvania’s continuing dedication to manufacturing and growth. Our expansion project is the direct result of continuously delivering a quality product made by quality people and we look forward to continuing to invest in our employees and the community.”
- Michael Bernstein, President of Maid-Rite: “Maid-Rite appreciates the Commonwealth’s support for the expansion of our primary facility. We have maintained operations in Pennsylvania since our inception and this only helps to solidify the partnership with the state and the citizens of our local community. We look forward to furthering this partnership in the future.”
See what Pennsylvanians are reading about the Shapiro Administration’s work to secure transformational economic development to reignite Pennsylvania’s economy:
Associated Press: Chip component plant to get $300M expansion in Pennsylvania
The Times Leader: Shapiro announces EAM-Mosca to invest $20.6M to expand operation
The Morning Call: Bottle manufacturer will relocate to Lehigh Valley. Find out where
KDKA: Re:Build Manufacturing to open facility in Westmoreland County
Chambersburg Public Opinion: Into the box: Maker of corrugated sheets coming to Chambersburg
ABC27: 124-year-old Pennsylvania company investing over $30 million for expansion
FOX43: Shapiro touts leading pharmaceutical manufacturer’s expansion into Chester County facility
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: From Etna to Mars? Westinghouse launches microreactor facility in Etna
WTAE: Westinghouse signs lease for ‘revolutionary’ battery facility in Etna
WESA: Gov. Shapiro says $4 million for Pittsburgh space company will launch regional industry
Chambersburg Public Opinion: Chambersburg hydraulic cylinder maker is expanding, adding jobs
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