The Lehigh Valley turned out in record numbers to celebrate five local manufacturers who produce some of America’s most iconic products and help to make the region one of the nation’s top manufacturing markets and a community that people are proud to call home. 
“Making Products & Making Places,” Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s Fall Signature Event, drew about 450 people to Archer Music Hall in downtown Allentown on Nov. 11.
They heard from leaders at Crayola, Mack Defense, Lutron Electronics, Olympus, and C.F. Martin & Co. about what attracted their companies to the Lehigh Valley, what continues to keep them here, and how they’ve built products and places known around the world.
Lehigh Valley is one of the Top 15% of manufacturing markets in the U.S., based on Gross Domestic Product. About 700 manufacturers collectively produce an output of $9 billion annually, representing 16% of the Lehigh Valley’s economy. Nationally, manufacturing makes up 12% of the economy.
“I always say it's kind of in our DNA that we know how to make things,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC. “It's been our role in serving America through multiple industrial revolutions, through multiple wars. The Lehigh Valley has stepped up and delivered, and we continue to do that.”
The Fall Signature Event put a spotlight on Archer Music Hall, the Lehigh Valley’s newest entertainment venue developed by City Center Group that is among the attractions driving the downtown revival of Pennsylvania’s third-largest city.
Guests explored Archer Music Hall and product displays by the featured companies. They participated for prizes in a Lehigh Valley trivia contest, and they enjoyed music and other special activities that connect the products to the place.
‘Giving Back is a Big Deal for Us, and We Believe Strongly in That’
The centerpiece of the evening was a panel discussion of manufacturing executives, moderated by Cunningham.
The panelists were:
- Brian Donlon, Vice President and General Manager of Sales Operations, Lutron Electronics
- David Hartzell, Sr., President & CEO, Mack Defense
- Richard Reynolds, President, Medical Systems Group, Olympus Corporation of the Americas and Vice Chair of LVEDC’s Board of Directors
- Thomas Ripsam, President & CEO, C.F. Martin & Co.
- Peter Ruggiero, President & CEO, Crayola
The executives explained what led their companies to the Lehigh Valley, starting with C.F. Martin & Co. in the 1830s, followed by Crayola and Mack Trucks in the early 1900s, then Lutron Electronics in the 1960s and Olympus in 2006.
Martin Guitar landed in Nazareth, at the recommendation of a friend, not long after founder Christian Frederick Martin left Germany. Crayola came seeking raw materials such as slate for its pencils and chalkboards, and to harness the power of the Bushkill Creek in Easton.
“The Bushkill Creek is important because environmental sustainability became part of our DNA,” Ruggiero said. “Today, we run all of our operations with renewable energy in the U.S.”
Lutron moved to the Lehigh Valley from New York partly because of family connections. Co-founder Ruth Spira was the daughter of publisher J.I. Rodale, who founded the Rodale Institute in Emmaus.
Mack Trucks moved out of New York, too. Olympus sought a location close to major East Coast markets, with a high quality of life where employees would want to live.
The executives stressed that they prioritize making their companies more than just a place to work – they are part of the Lehigh Valley community.
“A big part of our values is if you work for Martin, you have to actively participate in the community. So, we donate time, we donate a lot of money,” Ripsam said. “Giving back is a big deal for us, and we believe strongly in that.” 
Cunningham asked the executives to share how they have continued to innovate in the Lehigh Valley as they compete in the rapidly changing global marketplace.
Donlon said at Lutron, that spirit of innovation was driven by co-founder Joel Spira, who was adamant that every product would be new and advance technology for its customers.
“He was meticulous about making sure that we delivered the highest quality, reliable product possible for our customers,” Donlon said. “And with that, some of those products, because they were new to the world, created new business opportunities for many of our customers. We've got thousands of customers who have built their business around the design, installation, and commissioning of our products.”
Martin Guitar has evolved because its employees, while based in the Lehigh Valley, look outward for global perspective on what musicians are seeking, Ripsam said. The company sticks to what it does best, he said, and “plays the long game.”
“Because in my mind, that's how you create something that's unique and differentiated, versus jumping around,” he said.
Olympus has moved research and design teams out of the company’s home country of Japan and into the U.S. to be closer to customers, Reynolds said. He said the company is exploring how artificial intelligence, robotics, and other technology can play a role.
Mack Trucks invests 10% of its sales in research and development, Hartzell said. The newest vehicles at Mack Trucks have 30 electronic control modules, compared to one in 1980. He said the company has worked to improve fuel efficiency, as even small improvements can make a significant difference in how much customers spend on fuel.
The Mack Defense division is continually revising vehicles to ensure they meet the safety and operational needs of the military to protect them against evolving threats in environments around the world, Hartzell said.
Crayola has focused on transforming its production capabilities, Ruggiero said. He noted that in 2007, one operator would produce 20,000 markers on a shift. Today, they make 220,000 per shift.
“The transformation and automation and productivity and cost management have enabled us to really differentiate ourselves from our competition,” Ruggiero said.
‘Creating Places and Spaces that People Want to Be’
J.B. Reilly, President of City Center Group that developed Archer Music Hall, explained how the venue was created to be a centerpiece of Downtown West, a live-work-play neighborhood that was honored last year with an award from the Urban Land Institute.
City Center Group has transformed downtown Allentown with more than $1 billion of mixed-used development including apartments, high-rise office buildings, the Moxy hotel, restaurants, retail, and other spaces, most recently Archer Music Hall.
“Our focus is not just on constructing buildings, but more on creating spaces and places that positively impact the community and the customers they serve. Our approach to real estate development is truly about placemaking, and I think the Archer Music Hall is a perfect example of that,” Reilly said.
The performing arts hall, which opened this spring, has a main space that can accommodate 1,500 to 1,800 guests, and a smaller Arrow space for more intimate performances and events that can accommodate about 500 guests. Archer Music Hall is operated by Live Nation.
Reilly said City Center Group envisioned Archer as a special place that would enhance not only Allentown, but the entire Lehigh Valley region.
“As the state's third largest city, we also knew how critical it is to create a vibrant regional destination, one that complements our sister cities in Bethlehem and in Easton. Together, our strong urban cores improve the quality of life in our entire region, and they also enhance the competitive position of the Lehigh Valley to attract and retain talent for our business community,” Reilly said.
In presenting the award last year, the Urban Land Institute said City Center Group’s Downtown West “is revitalizing a previously underutilized area into a vibrant hub.”
Reilly said his company’s core mission is “to create places and spaces that people want to be in.”
‘Made in Lehigh Valley’ Billboards
Cunningham introduced LVEDC’s latest marketing campaign to promote the products made in the Lehigh Valley and connect them to the place. 
The year-long “Made in Lehigh Valley” billboard campaign began Nov. 3 with Crayola and will expand to include Freshpet, Mack Trucks, Martin Guitar, and more Lehigh Valley companies.
“There are so many products that we make here, and we want people to know we're proud of the companies that have chosen to be in the Lehigh Valley,” Cunningham said.
The digital displays, provided by Adams Outdoor Advertising, are located on Route 22, just west of Airport Road, and Interstate 78, just west of the Hellertown exit.
The campaign is part of a larger effort to raise regional awareness of the Lehigh Valley and what it is today, a key component in LVEDC’s new strategic plan. The plan calls for expanding adoption of the regional “Made in Lehigh Valley” branding and quality of place marketing.
Lehigh Valley Trivia
Guests at the Fall Signature Event competed for prizes in a Lehigh Valley Trivia contest hosted by Grover Silcox, a five-time Emmy Award-winning on-air host and reporter at WLVT PBS39.
The audience was quizzed about the iconic Lehigh Valley manufacturers that participated in the panel discussion, along with questions about the region’s rich outdoor recreational opportunities, locally grown sports stars who have made it big in the pros, and other tidbits.
Participants answered on their smartphones and saw how they fared in real time on the big screen at Archer Music Hall as the answers were scored. The winners received Lehigh Valley gift baskets, including a set of tumbler glasses branded by Mack, tickets to Archer Music Hall, and a Martin Guitar gift bag.
LVEDC will give readers of its weekly newsletter the chance to test their knowledge of the Lehigh Valley by publishing the quiz in an upcoming edition.
Music, Caricatures, Products, Timeline & More
During the networking reception portion of the Fall Signature Event, guests were entertained by musician Sam Houseal, an employee of Martin Guitar who performed on stage.
Artist Alexander Clare drew caricature sketches using Crayola products.
The featured companies displayed their products, with Mack Defense providing a five-foot tall Bulldog statue that was a favorite for selfies. Lutron Electronics showed off some of its newest lighting technology. 
C.F. Martin & Co. displayed Martin Guitars and Olympus shared information about how its medical technology is saving lives. City Center Group provided VR goggles so guests could experience their properties.
LVEDC’s Fall Signature Event also offered a history lesson, with an extensive timeline showing important milestones in the founding, growth, and transformation of the Lehigh Valley economy and community, and the featured companies.
Sponsors
The sponsors of LVEDC’s Fall Signature Event, “Making Products & Making Places,” were:
Presenting Sponsor: Highmark Blue Shield
Venue Sponsor: City Center Group
Platinum Sponsors: Crayola and Freshpet.
Cocktail Sponsor: Klunk & Millan Advertising.
Gold Sponsors: Alvernia University, B. Braun, J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc., Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, and St. Luke's University Health Network.
Silver Sponsors: Archer Music Hall, BMI Mergers & Acquisitions, Boyle Construction, BSI Corporate Benefits, Comcast, Julabo USA, Lutron, Marshall Industrial Technologies, NJM, Olympus Corporation of the Americas, OraSure Technologies, Inc., QNB Bank, SERVPRO Team Davis, and TWG Security.
LVEDC will be publishing additional stories about the Fall Signature Event in the coming weeks in its weekly e-newsletter, Lehigh Valley Insider. Sign up here.
Media Coverage
Read what the Lehigh Valley media are saying about the Fall Signature Event:
Why make it in the Lehigh Valley? Manufacturers explain their reasons for putting down roots here
Making products and making places: LVEDC salutes Lehigh Valley manufacturers
LVEDC: Lehigh Valley remains hub for major manufacturers
(Photos by Marco Calderon Photography)