Harrisburg
Pennsylvania
17120
United States
Pennsylvania Awards and Rankings
Around the world, prestigious business publications, and organizations recognize Pennsylvania as the state to do business.
The following list captures just some of the recent recognition, awards, and rankings that have been earned by the commonwealth. Pennsylvania is a game-changer state, read more about some of our most successful projects.
The Business Facilities’ Annual Rankings Report features the best of the best in several categories scrutinized by investors, site selectors, business owners, and other key economic development professionals. Pennsylvania claimed several spots on the top 10 lists, including a No. 5 ranking in Top Manufacturing States by employment and No. 7 for one of the Greenest Metros in Pittsburgh.
To read more about the 2017 Business Facilities State Rankings Report, visit businessfacilities.com.
Pennsylvania was awarded a prestigious 2017 Silver Shovel Award by Area Development Magazine for excellence in U.S. state economic development. The awards recognize states’ significant industrial groundbreakings or expansions each year.
Pennsylvania was one of four states to receive a Silver Shovel award in the 12+ million population tier. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) submitted 10 projects spanning 10 counties that are projected to create at least 3,400 new jobs and generate $6.5 billion in private investment.
Area Development’s annual Shovel Awards recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes and promotions that attract new employers as well as investments in expanded facilities. Rankings are based on weighted factors, including combined number of new jobs created, amount of company investments, total number of new projects and diversity of investments.
To read more about the 2017 Area Development Magazine’s Silver Shovel Award, visit areadevelopment.com.
Amazon.com was recognized as a winner in the 12th Annual CiCi Community Impact category. The company currently operates 10 facilities in PA: Breinigsville (2 sites), Hazleton, Pittston, Philadelphia, Carlisle (3 sites), Lewisberry, and Pittsburgh. Over the next three years, Amazon will create 5,000 jobs and invest $150M in capital investment dollars.
Amazon is committed to delivering – both to homes around the country and to the greater economic good of Pennsylvania.
The Seattle-based online retailer will expand its fulfillment and distribution operations at multiple new sites in the state of Pennsylvania, which will create at least 5,000 new, full-time jobs over the next three years. This is in addition to the more than 8,200 people the company already employs in Pennsylvania.
The company has committed to investing at least $150 million statewide. Additionally, Amazon has agreed to gain and maintain new jobs and retain its current positions statewide for an additional four years.
“As a worldwide leader in the technology-driven logistics industry, Amazon has made a significant commitment in Pennsylvania that will have statewide impacts far beyond the $150 capital investment,” said Dennis Davin, secretary of the department of community and economic development in Pennsylvania. “The creation of 5,000 new jobs and retention of more than 8,000 jobs across the state will have lasting effects not only in the communities in which Amazon ultimately undertakes the expansion projects, but throughout the entire commonwealth.”
This expansion will support Amazon’s new “Prime Now” initiative, which includes free, two-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items or one-hour delivery for a fee. This service requires Amazon’s fulfillment centers to be located close to its customers to accommodate “Prime” delivery time frames.
“Pennsylvania’s strategic location, as well as its skilled workforce, continue to be extremely valued assets to companies large and small,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “Amazon, a worldwide logistics leader, has chosen Pennsylvania to further support its ‘Prime’ initiative, creating 5,000 new jobs across the state.”
The first new Amazon facility in the state will be a 1.1 million-square-foot warehouse in Palmer Township, Northampton County, which will double its distribution capacity in that region.
To read more about the 2017 CiCi Awards, visit tradeandindustrydev.com.
The Business Facilities’ Annual Rankings Report features the best of the best in several categories scrutinized by investors, site selectors, business owners, and other key economic development professionals.
Pennsylvania claimed five spots on the top 10 lists, including a No. 5 ranking in Infrastructure Upgrades, demonstrating that the state’s vast infrastructure assets — including ports, airports, rail, fiber networks, and energy transportation networks — are keeping business moving. The state also received the following rankings:
- No. 6 in STEM Leaders, boasting high employment totals for STEM-oriented jobs
- No. 6 in Top Manufacturing States, highlighting employment totals for manufacturing jobs
- No. 7 in Biotechnology, offering support and assistance to biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies and startups
- No. 10 in Exports, securing one of the highest number of exports in 2015.
Crystal Window and Door Systems in Lackawanna County, was recognized as a 2016 CiCi Awards recipient in the category of Community Impact with a $33 million dollar private investment and the creation of 231 new jobs.
They say when one door closes, another opens. That’s certainly true in Benton Township, Pennsylvania. Crystal Window and Door Systems recently acquired a 226-acre property in northeastern Pennsylvania that was formerly owned by Owens Corning Glass. It’s developing the 336,500 square-foot facility to produce aluminum windows and has already created more than 230 new jobs. Because the facility where Crystal manufactures its products had sat vacant for several years, the venture is a tremendous boost to Lackawanna County and the entire northeastern Pennsylvania region. New York-headquartered Crystal Window and Door Systems is a leading manufacturer of replacement and new construction vinyl and aluminum window and door products. The company had a highly aggressive development plan for this Benton Township facility. It announced the acquisition of the property in October, 2015 with expectations to begin manufacturing there by February, 2016. Crystal eventually plans to double its size to more than 500,000 square feet to house all of its 20 product lines and produce more than 400,000 units per year. The company came to Pennsylvania through the efforts of Irene Tsai, Pennsylvania’s representative in Taiwan and Crystal Window’s CEO, Thomas Chen. Chen looked at a number of sites across the country and around Pennsylvania before choosing the Scranton-area site. The logistics of northeast Pennsylvania — with its relative low cost and close proximity to New York City — make Scranton the perfect choice for Crystal Window and Door Systems because it sells its products in all the major metropolitan areas of the East Coast. “We are excited to expand in northeastern Pennsylvania. Crystal has many customers and now business friends in the region, and we know the potential for manufacturing expansion here is terrific. We’re looking forward to being an important part of the northeastern Pennsylvania business community,” said Thomas Chen, Crystal founder and CEO.
To read more about the 2016 CiCi Awards, visit tradeandindustrydev.com.
SBA State Trade and Export Promotion Grant 2015, awarded to states to increase the number and value of small business exports. Pennsylvania has been awarded STEP funds on four occasions to support international trade office work and Global Access Program (GAP) funding for small to medium size companies in Pennsylvania.
2015 Bond Buyer’s “Deal of the Year” award for the Northeast Region for Bridges Replacement Project, biggest private activity bond financing of a public-private partnership in U.S. history and largest road project in Pennsylvania’s history.
Global Free Zones of the Year 2015, presented to free zones around the world excelling in fields such as reinvestment, facilities upgrades, startup support, and infrastructure improvements. Pennsylvania’s Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) was a winner in the SME (Small/Medium Enterprise) category for its programs that encourage and assist SMEs and startups. The KOZ also received honorable mentions in the Regional Winners category, as well as for infrastructure developments with the Navy Yard Energy Master Plan in Philadelphia.
2015 WebAward for Outstanding Achievement in Web Development, a premier award recognition program for web developers, was awarded for VisitPA.com
IEDC’s Responding to Globalization Award acknowledges economic development strategies and programs that seek to enable communities, businesses, and/or economic development organizations to better integrate into the global economy or to more resiliently respond to the challenges wrought by globalization. Learn more.
The President’s “E Star” Award recognized continued superior performance in increasing or promoting export. Only previous recipients of the “E” Award are eligible for the “E Star”, and the level of performance must exceed that for which the “E” Award was given. OIBD received its first President’s “E” Award for Export Service in 2011. Learn more at newPA.com.
FDIA acknowledges vision, dedication or sheer professionalism for three categories of foreign direct investment activity: FDI Destination of the Future for Energy-Intensive Industries, FDI Destination of the Future for Water-Intensive Industries and FDI Website of the Year. The awards recognize the achievements of countries or regions that have made an effort to meet the needs of foreign investors. globalfdia.org.
The “E” Award is the highest U.S. government recognition any American entity may receive for supporting export activity. Learn more at commerce.gov.
Site Selection Magazine ranked Pennsylvania 1st in the Northeast in its annual awards recognizing top-performing states for capital investment attraction. Pennsylvania featured a total of 227 projects, ranking it well above all other Northeastern states.
Business Facilities recognized the Alternative and Clean Energy Program — administered jointly by the DCED and the Dept. of Environmental Protection, under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) — for its Achievement in Targeted Initiatives category for being exceptionally effective. The program provides financial assistance in the form of grant and loan funds that will be used by eligible applicants for the utilization, development, and construction of alternative and clean energy projects in the commonwealth.
The birthplace of independence saw a nice year-over-year increase in venture capital financing, leaping almost 30% over 2013 to $211.376 million in 23 deals last year, good enough for fifth on this year’s VC rankings. It’s the strongest sign yet that it has made progress in evolving from a heritage pharma mecca to a more diverse concentration of biopharma businesses and institutions (including 25 medical schools). Philadelphia’s University City Science Center has long been an anchor for regional biopharma; in October it won a $1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a second commercialization program, Phase 1 Ventures. The region is also fifth in jobs (48,874 according to JLL), but seventh in patents (1,195) and lab space (6.62 million square feet), as well as eighth in NIH funding ($87.596 million). (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News).