Ranking as one of the top states to start and run a business, Pennsylvania has what national and global companies need to thrive.

Attracting new business and industry to the Commonwealth is a key component of the Governor’s economic development strategy — and his budget includes $600 million in new and expanded investments to implement the strategy.

Williamsport, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary for International Business Development David Briel helped cut the ribbon on Premier Tech’s first Pennsylvania manufacturing facility in Lycoming County. The international sustainability and technology company is based in Quebec, Canada.

The new facility, at 210 Arch Street in Williamsport, is the first manufacturing plant in the United State for Premier Tech Water and Environment, a branch of Premier Tech that focuses on sustainable local solutions for water and solid waste management.

DCED’s Office of International Business Development provided support and technical assistance to help the company select Pennsylvania as the site for its new manufacturing operation.

“The Shapiro Administration is thrilled to see a strong international manufacturer like Premier Tech choose Pennsylvania as the home for its new sustainable solutions manufacturing facility,” said Deputy Secretary Briel. “We are working hard to attract global business and industry to Pennsylvania and look forward to seeing Premier Tech’s growth and success here in the Commonwealth.”

Premier Tech’s new facility will primarily be used for manufacturing eco-responsible septic systems and for coordinating services related to wastewater treatment.

“Our facility in Williamsport fully aligns with our commitment to reinforce our presence in the United States with a local team and paves the way for the future growth of our group in Pennsylvania,” said Luc Langlois, President, Premier Tech Water and Environment.

Premier Tech, based in Rivière-du-Loup, Québec, was founded in 1923 and is a global leader in sustainable local solutions that protect the planet. This includes wastewater treatment, rainwater management, liquid storage, and recycling. The company had over $1.8 billion in global sales in 2023 and has locations in 28 countries.

The Shapiro Administration wants global companies and industries to know that Pennsylvania is open for business. DCED’s Office of International Business Development (OIBD) is currently holding “Bringing the World to Pennsylvania” events across the Commonwealth that run through March 22, 2024. The statewide tour is connecting Pennsylvania companies with authorized international representatives to discuss opportunities for exporting their products, services, and technologies.

In the past year, OIBD supported 643 Pennsylvania companies to export more than $584.6 million worth of products and helped 20 international companies locating to Pennsylvania invest more than $489 million. Through this export and investment work, OIBD has been able to support over 12,600 Pennsylvania jobs.

The Commonwealth’s new ten-year Economic Development Strategy launched in January and reinforces Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024-25 budget. The Governor’s budget includes $600 million in new and expanded investments that will enhance DCED’s ability to implement the new ten-year strategic plan including: $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania; $25 million for the Main Street Matters program to support small businesses and commercial corridors across the Commonwealth; $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.

You can read Pennsylvania’s first economic development strategy in 20 years online. For more information on how the Governor’s proposed budget will create opportunity for all Pennsylvanians, visit the Shapiro Budget website.

For more information about the Office of International Business Development or the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Governor’s Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717.783.1116
Penny Ickes, DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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