An Australian company that chose the Lehigh Valley for its first location in the U.S. has been approved for a state loan to add equipment as it ramps up operations.
Easy Signs Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality digitally printed signage, opened a 72,000-square-foot facility in Upper Macungie Township in 2022. It will be investing $2.8 million into the leased facility. The company currently has 35 full-time employees there, with plans to grow to 130. 
Easy Signs recently was approved for a 10-year, low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA), through the Lehigh Valley Economic Investment Corp. (LVEIC).
“The PIDA loan has enabled us to accelerate the establishment of our manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley. Producing high-quality, custom signage in 24 hours requires a substantial capital investment and this loan has allowed us to invest in long-term equipment that will help us grow and create jobs quickly,” said Steph Wilbow, Easy Signs’ Chief Operations Officer.
“The support of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., the Lehigh Valley Economic Investment Corp., and the state Department of Community & Economic Development throughout this process was outstanding and gives us confidence that we have selected the right state to set up our first U.S. facility,” Wilbow said.
The loan, $854,000 at 2.5%, will be used toward the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment including digital printers, cutting machines, industrial sewing machines, and shelving.
“LVEIC is pleased to assist Easy Signs with its significant expansion into the U.S. market and to continue to support the recent trend of international companies finding Lehigh Valley as an attractive location to open or expand their U.S. operations,” LVEIC Chair Chris Brown said. “Easy Signs presented a strong application and LVEIC is confident that the investments being made through this loan will help position the company for continued growth, benefiting the Lehigh Valley community through additional manufacturing jobs.”
Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC) provides administrative support and staffing to LVEIC.
"Lehigh Valley Economic Investment Corporation and Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. are pleased to assist Easy Signs Inc. with its PIDA loan application and its expansion into the U.S. market,” said Jennifer Weighknecht, LVEDC’s Director of Economic Development Finance.
Headquartered southwest of Sydney, Easy Signs utilizes the latest technology and an efficient production system to manufacture products with some of the fastest production times of any signage manufacturer in Australia.
Over about the last 10 years, Easy Signs has invested in the latest state-of-the-art machinery to ensure they supply consistent, high-quality products at the lowest cost.
PIDA provides low-interest loans for eligible businesses that commit to creating and retaining full-time jobs, as well as for the development of industrial parks and multi-tenant facilities. Loans can be used for land and building acquisitions; construction and renovation costs; machinery and equipment purchases; multi-tenant facility projects; and industrial park projects.
“A PIDA loan is one of our key economic development investment tools to help generate business growth and create new jobs here in the commonwealth,” said Rick Siger, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Community & Economic Development. “The Shapiro Administration is working hard every day to transform Pennsylvania into an economic powerhouse and PIDA gives businesses the resources to help make that happen.”
Easy Signs is just one of several international companies that recently opened or expanded in the Lehigh Valley. In 2022, companies headquartered overseas announced or completed 2 million square feet of projects in the Lehigh Valley. About 40% of the economic development prospects that reached out to LVEDC in 2023 were from companies internationally owned.
They are drawn by the skilled workforce - supported by 11 colleges and universities and three career and technical schools that graduate more than 11,000 students annually - and the region’s location along interstate highways and near international airports and regional ports. About one-third of U.S. consumers are located within a day’s drive of the Lehigh Valley.
Hekipia, a French manufacturer of tiny houses for “glamping” resorts, opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Whitehall Township in 2023. Travaglini, a family-owned Italian company that designs equipment to cure meats and other delicacies, opened its first U.S. location in Allentown.
German-based Evonik, a leader in specialty gases, entered the Lehigh Valley after acquiring Air Products’ performance materials process and opened an Innovation Hub in 2022. Also in 2022, B. Braun Medical, which has been in the Lehigh Valley for decades and has its U.S. headquarters here, opened a 310,000-square-foot expansion and expanded its workforce to 2,000.