Located in the Northeast of the United States of America, within 800 kilometers of 40% of the U.S. population and 60% of Canada’s population, Pennsylvania is a prime business location in the country. Only a few hours’ drive from Washington, DC and New York City, Pennsylvania sits between the nation’s seat of government and main financial center. Pennsylvania has the 19th largest economy in the world, and its continued success as an economic powerhouse has been ensured by the careful structuring of policies, legislation, and industry support.

A Diverse Economy Pennsylvania’s diverse economy has a variety of strengths across following main industry sectors, including life sciences, food industry, advanced materials and manufacturing, high technology, and energy. The critical mass of educational and research institutions, along with established industry clusters in these sectors, and strategic support from the state government and local and regional partners, has helped Pennsylvania maintain stability and growth during challenging financial times.

Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Manufacturing has always formed the foundation of Pennsylvania’s economy, and has a long and dynamic history in the state. Manufacturing is Pennsylvania’s past, present and future. Throughout the history of United States, Pennsylvania is the leader in industrial technology, which means Pennsylvania has the skills, experience and knowledge to help companies succeed in United States.

Today, advanced manufacturing refers specifically to methods involving the use of advanced, innovative or cutting-edge technology to improve products and processes. Pennsylvania’s advanced manufacturing and materials industry has recently begun another renaissance in its development.

From Corporate headquarters to manufacturing facilities to state of art research and development labs, Pennsylvania has the entire spectrum.

Pennsylvania’s 29 Keystone Innovation Zones (KIZs) offer saleable tax credits to growing technology businesses. There are also other programs such as Pennsylvania Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit (PRM) that provides powerful incentive to revitalize Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry.

Variety of Manufacturing Production in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry is highly diverse, with no one sector dominating. This is both a benefit to the state’s economy during recessions and also a limit with how quickly the state reflects a boom. States with a dominant industry experience dramatic increases in output during recovery periods, but these states also see steep declines during downturns as a result of the reliance on one sector.

Pennsylvania’s core manufacturing sub-industries lie in chemical manufacturing, fabricated metals manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, primary metal manufacturing, paper products manufacturing and plastics and rubber manufacturing, with paper and primary metals ranked 2nd and 3rd in the country respectively in terms of GDP.

Attracting International Companies Pennsylvania is committed to breaking down barriers for businesses seeking to locate in the state. Led by the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development (OIBD), the state has become a leader in cross-border projects and is one of the nation’s fastest growing exporters, thanks to its global network of overseas offices which cover over 50 markets worldwide.

Today, more than 6,300 foreign-owned firms employing over 334000+ people have business operations in Pennsylvania.

Indian companies have 75 locations in Pennsylvania, providing 1999 jobs. Since the 1990s, the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development located at Department of Community & Economic Development has helped companies to navigate the system of doing business in Pennsylvania and abroad. One of the unique ways Pennsylvania has been able to accomplish this has been through its global network of offices, including trade and investment offices in Bangalore, India.

Working with the OIBD and its partners, international companies can learn about setting up and operating a business in Pennsylvania, taxes, immigration, site selection, real estate, and legal issues.

The OIBD can also assist with gathering market intelligence and making initial introductions for companies to potential partners and others engaged in their industry across the state.

Additionally, the OIBD provides Pennsylvania firms with export assistance and can help companies conduct distributor searches, vet potential business partners, and learn about international markets for their products.

Educated Workforce The key to a quality workforce is a quality education. Its 6.5 million-strong workforce and 12+million consumer base is ready to support a new investor. The State fosters partnerships between businesses and its work force training programs, colleges and universities, and are among the nation’s top 10 STEM job leaders. Pennsylvania’s nearly 300 higher education institutions are among the best in the world.

The Commonwealth is home to 4 of the nation’s top 50 universities, 8 of the top 50 liberal arts colleges, 3 of the top business schools and two of the top 50 law schools. The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business is one of the nation’s top business schools, while Carnegie Mellon University is one of the country’s highest ranked graduate computer engineering schools. Pennsylvania State University’s Materials Science Program is ranked among the best in the world. Pennsylvania also offers an extensive range of customized job training programs and partnerships, many of which specifically target the key industries in the state.

Grants for workforce training are widely available for businesses choosing to locate within the state.

A True U.S. Leader Some of the major multi nationals that have presence in Pennsylvania are: Glaxo Smithkline, SAP, Sait Gobain, AREVA, Sanofi Aventis, Nestle, Gamesa, Bayer, Bombardier and many more.

The state’s innovative programs and initiatives are designed to enhance the state’s economy by providing the capital, infrastructure and talent necessary to create and retain high-paying, highly-skilled technology jobs. Pennsylvania’s well-rounded approach to economic development seeks to leverage its manufacturing expertise, skilled labor force, cutting-edge academic and research institutions, and advanced infrastructure to provide fertile ground for business growth. Pennsylvania truly lives up to its name as the Keystone State.