News

Original publication: Coria Bowen/Staff Writer The Herald-Mail

Next year, students at the new Welding Training Center in Chambersburg, Pa., will be able to receive welding training that will provide them with global certifications.

“Every graduate can get a job as a welder any place in the world, even in Europe or the United States of America,” Stefan Takac, president and chief executive officer of Phenomenal Industries Inc., said at Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the center.

The center is set to be completed March 1.

Phenomenal Industries, Inc., a welding services company based in Europe, is the training center’s operating company in partnership with the Franklin County Area Development Corp., the training center’s developer.

The Welding Training Center at 1669 Opportunity Ave. will be 10,868 square feet with 20 individual welding stations and state-of-the-art classroom and training space. It has a total capital investment of $1.75 million financed by F&M Trust.

Lehman Construction Services Inc. will be the general contractor for the project.

“We think it’s going to address a community need,” said L. Michael Ross, president of the Franklin County Area Development Corp. Welding is “a very family-sustainable career.”

During his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony, Takac said the project began two years ago, when he had a meeting with Ross and with David Briel, executive director of the Office of International Business Development, about the possibility of opening the center in Chambersburg.

“Since then, we learned that Franklin County is a great place to live, work and play,” Takac said. “We are very confidant that this county will soon become a phenomenal county to get trained as a welder for global application.”

Depending on the specific welding process, training will generally last between four to six weeks, after which graduates are hired by Phenomenal and contracted to the company’s clients within the U.S. and in Europe, Takac said.

Ross said his expectation is that the center will provide business opportunities for manufacturers in Franklin County and across the region.

Coria Bowen/Staff Writer The Herald-Mail

PECO ranks among Site Selection’s top utilities for economic development

The September issue of Site Selection magazine focuses on “The Infrastructure of Things” and includes PECO among the Top Ten Utilities for Economic Development.  The magazine credits PECO’s economic development department and its collaboration with the state, regional and county partners for delivering a total projected capital investment of nearly $7 billion and about 8,000 new jobs in southeastern Pennsylvania last year.

“This is a tribute to you, your communities and elected officials who work tirelessly to attract and retain jobs and expand the local tax base,” said Phil Eastman in a note to key partners.  “PECO’s role in economic development is to support regional marketing efforts and to address the energy needs of companies looking to locate or expand in our service territory.  We sincerely appreciate your support and teamwork, which has enabled PECO to shine among its peers in this highly respected national magazine.  Thanks to you, our region’s economy is thriving, its quality of life is skyrocketing, and its reputation has never been better.” 

Phil Eastman is a member of the PEDA Board of Directors.   

“This designation is a testament to the work we do every day to serve as an effective partner for communities throughout our service territory,” said Liz Murphy, PECO senior vice president of Regulatory and External Affairs. “Our customer focus combined with PECO’s ongoing system investments support new business attraction and help existing businesses thrive.

To read the full article, go to http://siteselection.com/digitalEdition/2016/sep/

Westfield Business Park, Westfield, Tioga County

Tioga County Development Corporation (TCDC), owner of the Westfield Business Park (Westfield, Tioga County), held a groundbreaking at the future business park.  The development is on the site of the Westfield Tannery, which employed more than 200 people before closing in 2005.  Since that time, TCDC, NTRPDC, and other partners have worked to redevelop the site for active use.  TCDC took ownership of the 18.3-acre property in 2014 and was awarded grant funds to continue clean-up efforts and begin demolition of several facilities.  Phase 1 of the demolition included funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission ($100,000) and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Industrial Sites Reuse Program ($34,650).  Additionally, the Northern Tier Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) committed $50,000, Tioga County contributed $11,500, and TCDC dedicated $12,500 of its funds into the project. 

Although it is a small portion of the overall projected $9 million project, the clean-up and demolition phase is essential to move the project forward.  Work included removing several tanks, an electrical substation, and a lime silo all used in the tannery business.  Additionally, one building will be removed and soil testing completed. 

Upon completion of this phase of the project, planning partners will work to acquire funds for demolition of more than 30 other structures on site, relocation of the creek running through the site, and ultimately redevelopment of usable structures and construction of new buildings to complete the business park.  This first phase is a small but important visual reminder to the community that progress is being made in moving this project forward. 

WESTFIELD BUSINESS PARK UPDATE

Additional State Funds Approved/Phase 1 Demolition Complete

The Westfield Business Park Phase 1 Demolition was completed in December 2015. Several aboveground storage tanks, a lime silo, an electrical substation and a house will be demolished as part of grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) via US Department of Agriculture(USDA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED )PREP Program. Additional funding is being provided by TCDC. The Bids will be opened on May12, 2015 at the project was awarded to Tri State Trucking of Mansfield.

In conjunction with this project, the Tioga County Development Corporation (TCDC) completed an Industrial Sites Reuse Program 1 (ISRP) Grant form DCED for the final phase of the environmental evaluation of the property. An ISRP $13,575 Grant from DCED was awarded in October and the remediation was completed the week of December 7, 2015. The match was provided by the Tioga County’s Act 13 funding.

A Growing Greener Grant Application submitted by the Borough of Westfield for the relocation of Closes Creek is pending action. The match was provided by the Tioga County’s Act 13 funding.

In January 2015, we submitted a Grant Application for a Pennsylvania RACP for $1.5 Million for demolition. We have not seen any action on this request.

Foor & Associates, Architects and SSM serve as our engineering consultants for the development of the Westfield Business Park. The Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission(NTRPDC) have been very helpful in securing funding.

Click here to review the RFP.

Click here to view the press release.

Read the full story at newpa.com. 

With registration opening this week for the 2016 fall conference, PEDA is now accepting and encouraging your submission of 2017 spring conference session proposals. Please use the following outline in submitting your proposals to be considered for the April 24 – 26, 2017 event at the Hilton Harrisburg.

In your submission, please include your name, title, organization, phone number, email address, and mailing address and send via email to PEDA at conferences@peda.org, labeling the Subject line "2017 PEDA Spring Recommendations".  Thank you for your assistance.

• Explain your proposed session topic, title, and overview.
• Explain what is innovative about your proposed session and topic(s) of focus.
• Explain your presentation approach / style.
• Describe what the key takeaways will be for conference attendees.
• Provide any information you feel will help us better understand what you want to do as a presenter.
• Provide name / title / organization for each of the speakers / presenters you're recommending for consideration.

Click here to view PEDA's current sponsorship brochure.

#PEDAfall16
#PEDAspring17

Governor Wolf Announces 207 Jobs With New Hudson’s Bay Company Facility in Schuylkill County

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today that Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), parent of Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Saks OFF 5TH, will establish a new facility in Foster Township, Schuylkill County. The move will result in 207 new, full-time jobs.

“This is the nineteenth jobs announcement that my administration has made with the Governor’s Action Team this year, securing commitments for the creation of thousands new jobs all across the commonwealth,” said Governor Wolf. “Each announcement is another boost to Pennsylvania’s economy and the addition of HBC’s new facility in Schuylkill County means 207, new, full-time jobs for Pennsylvanians.”

HBC will move into an existing distribution facility in Foster Township. The company will establish an e-commerce fulfillment center and develop a 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art fashion photography studio. The company has committed to making an investment of at least $50 million in the project and has committed to creating 207 new, full-time jobs and retaining 391 positions over the next three years.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation.

“We are grateful to Governor Wolf and the Governor’s Action Team, and excited to become part of the Pottsville community,” said Jerry Storch, HBC’s Chief Executive Officer. “At HBC, we are laser-focused on our all-channel strategy, and this investment leapfrogs us to the forefront of internet distribution technology. As we execute on our digital strategy, we continue to invest in innovation that enables us to serve our consumers seamlessly, lead the evolution of trends in the retail industry, and expand our business which creates new job opportunities and investment in the community.”

HBC received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a $500,000 Pennsylvania First program grant, $93,150 in WEDnetPA funding for employee training, and $414,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs.

“There is no issue more important in Schuylkill County than good-paying jobs,” said state Sen. David G. Argall, R-Schuylkill/Berks. “I want to congratulate Governor Wolf and his team, as well as Frank Zukas at SEDCO and Rep. Goodman and all of our local economic development advocates on a job well done. The interstate and international competition for jobs of this kind is very intense and I am very pleased by the result today.”

“I’m thrilled that Hudson’s Bay Company has chosen to bring hundreds of family-sustaining jobs to my legislative district and to invest $50 million into this project,” said state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-Schuylkill. “Hudson’s Bay Company is one of the fastest growing department store retailers in the world, and its e-commerce fulfillment center in Highridge Business Park will help the company and Schuylkill County to continue to move forward.”

“Today’s announcement is great news for the economic future of Schuylkill County given the excellent reputation of the Hudson’s Bay Company as an innovative retailer and e-commerce leader with iconic brands such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor included in their family of companies,” said Frank Zukas, president, Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation. 

Katie Krise serves as a Financial Assistant in the Accounting department for the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission.  She is responsible for fiscal tracking for several programs throughout the commission, including the loan program for the Enterprise Development Department.  She accounts for loan profiles and activity within the loans for ARC and EDA Revolving Loan Funds, Intermediary Relending Programs, Microloans, and SBA Microloans.  North Central presently maintains a portfolio of over $26,000,000.00 with 250 active loans.

Ms. Krise worked with North Central as an intern through her college years and later received a full-time position with the Commission after obtaining a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with an individualized Accounting option from the Pennsylvania State University.

PEDA wishes to congratulate Board President Pamela J. Shupp, AICP, CEcD, who has been named President and CEO of Greater Reading Economic Partnership, effective July 1, 2016.  A full press release is available here.