Officials from more than two dozen countries visited the Lehigh Valley recently to learn why it is a promising location for international companies to do business, and to meet with Lehigh Valley companies seeking to export their products.
The “Bringing the World to PA” tour visited 10 regions in Pennsylvania in March, stopping in the Lehigh Valley on March 21. 
“Bringing the World to PA is a great opportunity to showcase the Lehigh Valley to the global investment representatives. By visiting and learning more about our region, the representatives are able to better advocate and communicate the benefits that Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley can offer to international businesses expanding into the U.S. market,” said Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development and Attraction at Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC), which hosted the stop in the Lehigh Valley.
Investment by international companies has been a driver of the recent economic growth in the Lehigh Valley, where the Gross Domestic Product has surpassed $50 billion in 2022. In 2023, nine companies headquartered abroad announced or completed 1.2 million square feet of projects. Those projects helped catapult the Lehigh Valley to the #1 spot among mid-sized markets for economic development in Site Selection magazine's prestigious Governor's Cup rankings. About 40% of economic development prospects who connected with LVEDC about opportunities here were international.
Executives from Australian, French, and Italian companies that chose the Lehigh Valley for their first U.S. locations met with the visitors to share their experiences.
Bringing the World to PA is hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center. The stop in the Lehigh Valley was sponsored by Fulton Bank and Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba.
Bringing the World to PA brought together authorized trade and investment representatives, who work for the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development, part of the Department of Community & Economic Development. They represented countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Scandinavia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Ireland as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Central, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
Those employees work as investment representatives who help international companies that want to establish locations in Pennsylvania, and as trade representatives who help Pennsylvania companies with opportunities in international markets.
“They have brought in over $3 billion of income into the Commonwealth to help us grow the economic pie, and hopefully help us to give Pennsylvania residents more employment opportunities,” David Briel, Deputy Secretary of the Office of International Business Development, said during a lunch at SteelStacks at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem.
Briel told the audience of about 60 representatives from businesses, colleges, and other organizations that Gov. Josh Shapiro is investing more in the state’s international economic development program. It’s part of his commitment to make Pennsylvania more friendly for business and more competitive with other states.
During the lunch, the international officials shared insights on the economic trends in their countries and factors that are influencing decision-making by foreign companies about operations in the U.S.
Lehigh Valley companies interested in pursuing global opportunities were able to have one-on-one conversations with the state officials positioned to assist them.
LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham presented an overview of the Lehigh Valley economy.
The Lehigh Valley is attractive for business, Cunningham said, because it is within a day’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population. The region is growing in population, including young adults who are desired by employers, and has a workforce of 1.7 million people living within an hour’s drive.
Manufacturing is a leading driver, accounting for 16% of the region’s GDP. The economy is balanced, though, with significant output in finance, real estate, education, health care, and professional services, among others.
“We'd like to continue to grow, and we know we can only do that with all of you, those of you who are either helping to recruit companies, those of you who have companies here that are looking to grow your companies, and those who are helping to move Lehigh Valley made products to the rest of the world,” Cunningham said.
LVEDC’s business development team led the international representatives on a tour that included a visit to Easy Signs, where they were hosted by Chief Operations Officer Steph Wilbow. The Australian manufacturer of high-quality digitally printed signage chose the Lehigh Valley for its first U.S. location, a 72,000-square-foot facility in Upper Macungie Township.
Executives at two other new international companies spoke about their experiences opening locations in the Lehigh Valley - Daniel Negri, Branch Manager at Travaglini and Louis Dupont, Plant Manager Engineer for Hekipia America Inc. & Huttopia North America.
Travaglini, an Italian company that designs equipment to cure meats and other delicacies, opened its first U.S. location in Allentown because it is within a short distance of three major production plants it services in Northeast Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Hekipia, a French manufacturer of tiny homes for “glamping” resorts, opened its first U.S. location in Whitehall Township to be near the Poconos and other resort areas in the Northeast.
During their visit to the Lehigh Valley, the international officials toured the National Museum of Industrial History and the preserved blast furnaces of the former Bethlehem Steel plant in Bethlehem.