Four manufacturers that have established operations in the Lehigh Valley in recent years will share why they chose to do business in America’s top mid-sized market during next month’s Fall Signature Event by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC).
Top executives from Easy Signs, Kerry Group, HAWE Manufacturing US, Inc., and Spot & Tango will take the stage during the “Made Here. From Everywhere.” program at the National Museum of Industrial History on Nov. 18.
“While the large Lilly and Chobani manufacturing projects have received a lot of attention this year, we also want to recognize and introduce other significant manufacturers from across the U.S. and the world that have come to the Lehigh Valley in recent years,” said Don Cunningham, President and CEO of LVEDC. “These companies make diverse products and have unique stories that we will highlight during the panel discussion and event.”
The program will build on the ongoing “Made in Lehigh Valley” national branding campaign that highlights the Lehigh Valley’s companies, products, institutions, and communities. From billboards to social media, the campaign builds awareness of Lehigh Valley as both a great place to do business and a great place to live, helping companies attract and retain the people who will help them compete.
The highlight of the program will be a panel discussion featuring:
- Enrique Medina Meraz, Site Director for Kerry Group, a global beverage company based in Ireland that opened a coffee roasting and extraction facility in Hanover Township, Northampton County, last year and recently held a public ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the investment.
- Steph Wilbow, Chief Operations Officer at Easy Signs, an Australian manufacturer of banners and signs that established its first U.S. operation in Upper Macungie Township in 2022 and has been expanding its capabilities since.
- Russell Breuer, Founder & CEO of Spot & Tango, a pet food manufacturer based in New York that opened a production facility in Upper Macungie Township in 2022 and recently announced a $20 million expansion that will double production capacity and increase its workforce by 50%.
- Mike Kozak, Chief Operating Officer of HAWE Manufacturing US, Inc., a producer of hydraulics equipment based in Germany that opened a location in Bethlehem Township in 2019.
There is no cost to attend the Fall Signature Event, but registration is required. To register, click here. A $25 fee will be billed to those who register but do not attend the event.
As part of a reception and networking following the formal program, guests also will have access to the museum’s exhibits that chronicle the nation’s industrial history. The event will also serve as the last public viewing of the “Made in Lehigh Valley” Time Capsule before it is sealed for 50 years. In partnership with LVEDC, the museum will reopen the capsule in 2076 in honor of America’s 300th birthday.
The Lehigh Valley is one of America’s fastest growing mid-size markets in both population and economy, a rare region with a population under one million people where manufacturing is the largest part of its economy and its authentic urban centers of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton are a growing destination for young professionals and retiring seniors.
With manufacturing continuing to play an outsized role, the $57.3 billion economy is supporting growing career opportunities and is among the nation’s top mid-sized markets for economic development.
The Lehigh Valley is one of the Top 15% manufacturing markets in the U.S. based on Gross Domestic Product. More than 700 manufacturers collectively produce an output of $9 billion, representing 16% of Lehigh Valley’s GDP. Nationally, manufacturing is 11% of GDP.
Site Selection Magazine, a leading source of real estate research, ranked Lehigh Valley as the No. 1 mid-sized market for the number of economic development projects in 2025, for the second time in three years.
Sponsors to date for the Fall Signature Event are: Gold Sponsors: Comcast, Crayola, and First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union. Silver Sponsors: Fidelity Bank, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, and QNB Bank. Community Sponsor: Boyle Construction.
Sponsorship opportunities for the Fall Signature Event remain available. Please contact Nadya Rachid, LVEDC Program Manager, at nrachid@lehighvalley.org, for more information.