Pennsylvania Manufacturing Advisory Council Releases Playbook for Competitiveness

written by Lauri Moon | September 21, 2022

As Pennsylvania’s third-largest employment sector – with more than 560,000 full-time workers generating nearly $115 billion of goods last year alone – manufacturing drives Pennsylvania’s overall economy.  On August 31, 2022, the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Advisory Council, a nonpartisan partnership of manufacturers and industry experts, released Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Competitiveness Playbook – an actionable strategy document that identifies three game changers and 10 specific recommendations to make Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy more robust and resilient – thus creating more good-paying jobs for Pennsylvanians.

The efforts of the industry-led, 25-member Pennsylvania Manufacturing Advisory Council were focused on developing recommendations that government leaders across the Commonwealth should consider as ways to expand Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy. The Council’s resultant Playbook includes data and advice derived from insights and commentary offered by more than 500 Pennsylvania manufacturers.

“Over the course of the past year, the Council conducted industry roundtables, one-on-one interviews, and surveys to learn directly from manufacturers what statewide policy and programmatic or procedural changes would most immediately and dramatically enhance their ability to compete, win and grow in today’s economy, and the Council’s report reflects that knowledge and insight,” said Eric Joseph Esoda, Council Co-Chair.

Through careful analysis of industry input, the Council, within its Playbook, recommends three game changers for strengthening Pennsylvania’s manufacturing competitive position:

  • Recapture Pennsylvania’s manufacturing competitive advantage by aggressively pursuing manufacturing growth sectors to drive prosperity.
  • Invest in the factory of the future to boost the performance of small and medium-sized companies, improve the quality of manufacturing jobs and provide better career options for more of Pennsylvania’s citizens.
  • Unleash the power of advanced manufacturing to drive regional prosperity through policies and services that are more responsive to the needs of manufacturers.

The Playbook builds on Pennsylvania’s historic strengths in manufacturing and captures a vision for Pennsylvania’s future as a global leader in advanced manufacturing.

“It’s vital that we do more for manufacturing because it represents one of Pennsylvania’s largest sectors, pays better than most others and offers good benefits,” said Dan Fogarty, Council Co-Chair. “The Playbook is a great first step toward coming together around how we can be there for the sector and for communities across the Commonwealth that both support and benefit from our great industrial employers,” he added.

The full report can be downloaded on the Manufacturing Advisory Council’s website: https://www.pamanufacturingcouncil.com/playbook.