These 29 businesses are investing $1B in Lehigh Valley jobs (2024)

By Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Looking for a job? The Lehigh Valley may have you covered.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.this springcelebrated the region's rise to the top 5 in development in the Northeast, according to Site Selection magazine.

Equal parts cheerleader for the area and conduit for investment, the LVEDC at its 22nd annual meeting in Bethlehem highlighted 31 projectseither announced, under construction or completed by 29 companies in recent years.

This is a closer look at those projects, where they are and what they mean for job growth in the region.

All told, the projects represent an investment of $920 million and 6,939 jobs either created or retained. These figures do not include the handful of companies highlighted by the LVEDC that withheld investment and job-creation data, citing privacy reasons.

A billboard displays a new Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. advertising campaign. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

'We still make stuff here'

Manufacturing is the Lehigh Valley's biggest gross domestic product sector, at $5.6 billion or about 15 percent of a record $36.97 billion GDP as of 2015, according to the LVEDC.

That strength is the impetus for a new advertising campaign from the economic development agency, which is supported by its members and by a tax on hotel stays collected by Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Unemployment down

The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Metropolitan Statistical Area saw its unemployment rate drop to 4.8 percent in January, according to preliminary data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

That's just off the 13-month low of 4.5 percent set in January 2016, but it bests the state unemployment rate of 5 percent for January 2017.

'E-commerce explosion'

Fueling much of the recent investment in the region is warehousing and distribution -- so-called e-commerce, a sector worth $1.7 billion in 2015 but growing.

The LVEDC describes the region as "in the middle of an e-commerce explosion." Fittingly, but also alphabetically, our look at the 31 development projects highlighted by the LVEDC begins with the United States' largest Internet-based retailer.

Amazon.com's fulfillment center at 1610 Van Buren Road in Palmer Township is seen Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Amazon.com

The e-commerce giant has completed a $20 million investment in a new 1.1 million-square-foot distribution facility at 1610 Van Buren Road in Palmer Township, creating 700 new jobs.

The Bug Co.

A pet food manufacturer, The Bug Co. completed a $1.6 million overhaul of an old school to create its new 47,500-square-foot facility employing 41 at 2200 Wassergass Road in Lower Saucon Township.

C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc.

A food and grocery distributor, C&S has completed a $1.29 million, 621,500-square-foot distribution facility expansion, creating 600 new jobs at 125 N. Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

Central Garden & Pet's warehouse and distribution facility at 3895 East Gate Blvd. in Lower Nazareth Township is seen Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Central Garden & Pet

This pet supply company created 40 jobs with a new $884,000, 243,360-square-foot distribution center completed at 3895 East Gate Blvd. in Lower Nazareth Township.

DevTech PET Inc.

A plastic bottle manufacturer, DevTech completed an $18.2 million manufacturing facility that employs 32 people and spans 120,000 square feet at 5210 Jaindl Blvd. in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

East Penn Manufacturing

This manufacturer of batteries has a 650,000-square-foot distribution center under construction in the Liberty Business Center II at 8742 Congdon Hill Road in Lower Macungie Township.

Ecopax

A maker of food packaging, Ecopax is investing $20 million in a 144,000-square-foot manufacturing facility designed to create 30 new jobs, under construction at 1355 Easton Road in Bethlehem.

FedEx Ground

This distribution giant is building a $335 million, 1.1 million-square-foot facility that will employ 700 on Willow Brook Road in Allen Township.

FreshPet

A pet food manufacturer, FreshPet has a 50,000-square-foot research-and-development facility under construction at 146 N. Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

FreshPet Kitchens

FreshPet Kitchens in 2015 undertook a 32,000-square-foot expansion, creating 60 new jobs, at its main manufacturing facility at 176 N. Commerce Way in Hanover Township.

Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America's regional headquarters is seen Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at 6255 Sterners Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America

Guardian invested $70 million in a 281,680-square-foot regional headquarters consolidation at 6255 Sterners Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County, keeping some 1,500 jobs in the area.

Hospital Central Services Corp.

This professional services company serving the area's health-care industry completed a $10.5 million, 21,000-square-foot expansion creating 38 new jobs and retaining 180 jobs at its 2171 28th St. SW headquarters in Allentown.

J2 Properties/Luxury Lane

An e-commerce company, J2 Properties completed a $4.48 million distribution facility expansion spanning 43,000 square feet that created 12 new jobs and retained 18 jobs at 51 Hilton St. in Williams Township.

Mack Trucks' Lehigh Valley plant is where all of its trucks are assembled for the North American market and export. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

Mack Trucks

Mack Trucks announced a $70 million expansion and modernization at its 7000 Alburtis Road facility in Lower Macungie Township.

Michelman Steel Enterprises

A steel fabricator, Michelman announced a manufacturing facility expansion worth $3.5 million and spanning 71,150, with 17 new jobs created and 27 jobs retained, at 3135 Schoenersville Road in Bethlehem.

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Nestle Purina

This pet food manufacturer is building a 53,000-square-foot distribution center expansion, creating 30 new jobs, at 2050 Pope Road in South Whitehall Township.

Paychex and Nihon Kohden are among the businesses at 1550 Pond Road in South Whitehall Township, seen on Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Nihon Kohden

This Japanese medical and electrical equipment manufacturer completed a new $445,000, 7,000-square-foot office creating 27 jobs at 1550 Pond Road in South Whitehall Township.

Norac USA

A commercial bakery, Norac is building a $25 million, 79,160-square-foot food manufacturing facility creating 62 new jobs at 4200 Braden Blvd. in Forks Township.

Paychex is at 1550 Pond Road in South Whitehall Township, seen on Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Paychex

Paychex is a professional services provider that completed a $1.3 million office expansion, creating 115 new jobs in 22,000 square feet at 1550 Pond Road in South Whitehall Township, a Franklin Realty Development Corp. office complex.

Penn Sheet Metal

A fabricator of metal products, Penn Sheet Metal completed a 35,400-square-foot manufacturing facility expansion worth nearly $2 million at 421 Schantz Road in Lower Macungie Township, creating eight new jobs and retaining 20 positions.

Reed Millwork Corp. operates a facility at 1000 Maloney Circle inside the Majestic Bethlehem Center/Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII in Bethlehem, seen Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Reeb Millwork Corp.

Reeb completed a $38 million investment in a 175,000-square-foot manufacturing facility for its wholesale millwork, creating 147 new jobs and retaining 267 jobs, at 1000 Maloney Circle in Bethlehem.

Ryder System Inc. (Verizon)

This telecommunications company announced a new 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center creating 350 jobs at Liberty Business Center II in Lower Macungie Township.

Seasons EVOO

A food and grocery distributor, Seasons completed a new 25,000-square-foot distribution facility employing 10 at 2146 City Line Road in Bethlehem.

Sharp Packaging Services

Sharp, a pharmaceutical packaging company, completed a $45 million, 112,000-square-foot distribution facility expansion creating 50 jobs at 7384 Penn Dr. in Upper Macungie Township.

Stitch Fix

An e-commerce apparel company, Stitch Fix opened a new 483,900-square-foot distribution facility creating 500 jobs at 4770 Hanoverville Road in Lower Nazareth Township.

Straight Arrow Products

This manufacturer is building a 15,000-square-foot expansion representing an investment of $2.3 million, creating 30 jobs and retaining 72 jobs, at 900 Conroy Place in Forks Township.

Tyber Medical Co.

A manufacturer of medical devices, Tyber was credited for two development projects, including a new $386,000, 4,200-square-foot office and manufacturing facility creating 25 jobs, completed at 83 S. Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County. The company also announced a $3 million expansion of its office-and-manufacturing facilities.

Uline

A shipping supply company, Uline completed a $200 million, 1.6 million-square-foot distribution center expansion at 700 Uline Way in Upper Macungie Township.

Vastex

A miscellaneous manufacturer, Vastex announced a $3.5 million manufacturing facility expansion creating eight jobs and retaining 23 positions in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII in Bethlehem.

Zulily, an e-commerce business, operates a warehouse at 10 Emery St. within Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII in Bethlehem, seen Wednesday, March 29, 2017. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Zulily

This e-commerce company completed a new $43.6 million, 820,250-square-foot distribution center creating 1,200 jobs at 10 Emery St., also in LVIP VII in Bethlehem.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.