A ladle of molten iron is poured into a Basic Oxygen Process (BOP) furnace at U. S. Steel's Granite City Works, where it will be transformed into liquid steel. U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works is Pennsylvania's ninth-largest manufacturing company based on number of employees. (Image courtesy of US Steel Corp)
For those looking to do business with Pennsylvania manufacturers, it helps to have a solid grasp of the state’s manufacturing climate, particularly in these fast-changing times.
Today we’re focusing on some key insights on Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector and providing a look at the state’s top companies.
Key Facts on Pennsylvania Manufacturing Companies
According to industrial data provider MNI, Pennsylvania is currently home to 12,718 manufacturers employing 691,203 workers.
MNI reports there are 50,856 executive contacts among Pennsylvania’s industrial companies, including 7,640 presidents, 4,713 owners and partners; 4,604 vice-presidents and 5,247 sales, marketing and purchasing executives.
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3% percent of Pennsylvania’s manufacturing companies are women-owned, according to MNI. This is slightly ahead of the U.S. as a whole, with 2% of manufacturers owned by women.
Other facts to know about Pennsylvania manufacturers, based on advanced criteria available to IndustrySelect subscribers:
• 8% are publicly owned companies
• 13% import raw materials
• 26% distribute their products internationally
Food processing ranks as the state’s largest industrial sector by number of jobs, employing 88,418. Industrial machinery ranks second, with 83,280 workers, while third-ranked fabricated metals accounts for 78,979. Other top industries in Pennsylvania include chemicals; plastics/rubber and electronics.
Philadelphia is the state’s largest industrial city home to 554 manufacturers and 31,274 workers. Pittsburg is a close second with 509 factories employing 26,231. Other top cities in Pennsylvania include:
• York (21,645 jobs)
• Allentown (13,825 jobs
• Erie (13,377 jobs)
• Lancaster (13,134 jobs)
• Hanover (9,753 jobs
Pennsylvania’s top manufacturers are representative of the state’s robust and varied industrial economy, home to key players in the defense, pharmaceutical and steel industries. Next, we’ll take a look at the state’s largest companies, measured by number of employees on site.
List of the 10 Largest Manufacturers in Pennsylvania
| Company | Employees | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merck & Co., Inc. | 9,500 | West Point | PA |
| East Penn Manufacturing Co. | 7,800 | Lyon Station | PA |
| The Boeing Co. | 5,200 | Ridley Park | PA |
| Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. | 3,500 | Allentown | PA |
| Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 3,500 | Malvern | PA |
| Westinghouse Electric Co., LLC | 3,400 | Cranberry Township | PA |
| Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. | 3,000 | Swiftwater | PA |
| Mack Trucks, Inc. | 2,800 | Macungie | PA |
| US Steel Corp., Mon Valley Works | 2,800 | West Mifflin | PA |
| Crown Bakeries | 2,150 | Philadelphia | PA |
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About the Top Manufacturing Companies in Pennsylvania
1. Merck & Co., Inc. (West Point, PA)
Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co.’s sprawling West Point, PA plant is home to 9,500 employees – the company’s largest manufacturing site. Workers and researchers there make and test pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biological products.
2. East Penn Mfg. Co. (Lyon Station, PA)
East Penn Mfg Co. is the second-largest manufacturing company in the state of Pennsylvania. This family-owned company employs 7,000 at its Lyon Station facility where it produces all types of batteries and related accessories for the automotive, marine, commercial and industrial markets.
3. The Boeing Co. (Ridley Park, PA)
This massive Boeing campus in Ridley Park employs 5,200 workers, making it the state’s third-largest industrial facility. The company produces helicopters at this three million square foot facility, including the Chinook, Sea Knight, V-22 Osprey, and R A H Comanche.
4. Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (Allentown, PA)
Air Products & Chemicals produces industrial gases, equipment and intermediate chemicals and operates internationally, with facilities in 50 countries and employing 17,000 worldwide. 3,500 work at the Allentown site, which serves as the company’s headquarters.
5. Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Malvern, PA)
This Malvern site serves as Endo Pharmaceutical’s U.S. headquarters, home to 3,500. Endo Pharmaceuticals produces a wide range of pharmaceuticals, including Percocet®; Percodan and Lidoderm.
6. Westinghouse Electric Co., LLC (Cranberry Township)
Coming in at seventh place is Westinghouse Electric’s Cranberry Township plant, where their 3,400 employees produce instrumentation and control systems for nuclear power plants.
Westinghouse prides itself on its innovation and dedication to leading the nuclear industry.
7. Sanofi Pasteur (Swiftwater, PA)
Sanofi Pasteur is the vaccine wing of pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, home to 3,000 employees. The company produces vaccines and biological products at this 350,000 square foot plant, including influenza vaccines.
Like many other vaccine makers, the company is active in pursuing vaccines, test and treatments for the COVID-19 virus.
8. Mack Trucks (Macugnie, PA)
Encompassing a 1.2 million square-foot facility in Macugnie, this location serves as Mack Trucks’ cab and vehicle assembly plant, which features three cab and two chassis assembly lines. With 2,800 workers, it is among Pennsylvania’s largest industrial employers.
9. U. S. Steel Corp., Mon Valley Works (West Mifflin)
A major steelmaking operation, this U.S. Steel site in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin employs 2,800. In 2019, the company announce it would be investing one billion dollars in the facility to construct a new casting and rolling operation, expected to be up and running by 2022.
U.S. Steel is among the nation’s oldest manufacturers, established in 1901 with Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan among its founders. The Mon Valley Works site was founded in 1937.
10. Crown Bakeries (Philadelphia, PA)
Crown Bakeries is a prominent player in the commercial baking industry. Formerly known as Michel’s Bakery, Crown Bakeries has a rich history of delivering high-quality baked goods to foodservice, food manufacturing, and retail customers across America. The Philadelphia facility encompasses 100,000 square feet and produces a wide range of goods including Danish pastries, muffins, cakes, cinnamon rolls & brownies
Looking to Reach Pennsylvania Manufacturers?
For those looking to do business with industrial companies, IndustrySelect’s database of 400,000 U.S. manufacturers is a top resource for both developing and researching sales leads in the manufacturing sector.
An IndustrySelect subscription can put you on a first-name basis with Pennsylvania’s 17,000 industrial companies and 52,000 executives. Subscribers can select up to 30 data points on any manufacturing company in the U.S. to help identify or pre-qualify leads. Company profiles also include the contact information for hard-to-find executive decision-makers. Try a free demo today! Or, click here to learn more about our Pennsylvania database.
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Editor's Note: This article was original published in July 2020. It is updated annually to reflect new statistics and trends.