Internationally based companies have historically had a strong interest in the Lehigh Valley, and a recent global forum provided an opportunity to introduce the region to even more companies. 
Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the SelectUSA Investment Summit just outside Washington, D.C., is the federal government’s highest profile event dedicated to promoting international business investment in the United States. This year’s event, held May 11-14, had more than 5,500 participants, including more than 2,700 international delegates.
Since its inception, SelectUSA has facilitated more than $270 billion in investment, creating or retaining more than 240,000 U.S. jobs. This year’s conference was held in a time of economic uncertainty as companies struggle to understand the impact of tariffs on international trade and supply chains. The forum offered an opportunity establish relationships with site selectors and executives worldwide.
LVEDC participated at SelectUSA in conjunction with officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development & Attraction, and Doug Warfel, Director of Attraction & Lending, met with site selectors, company executives, and international delegates, promoting the advantages to doing business in the Lehigh Valley – a growing, Top 15% manufacturing market with a workforce of nearly 1.8 million, located within an hour’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population.
“The SelectUSA Summit is an ideal event to showcase the diverse opportunities for international business growth in the Lehigh Valley to a global audience of key decision makers,” Cahayla-Hoffman said. “Partnering with the state allows Lehigh Valley to amplify the state-level support for foreign direct investment.”
LVEDC’s team held meetings in the Pennsylvania pavilion, along with PA Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger and Deputy Secretary for the Office of International Business Development David Briel.
Those meetings included a discussion with Jean Froehly, Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs at the Embassy of Germany, about the Lehigh Valley’s unique apprenticeship program that is based on the German apprenticeship model.
The Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley (iTEC) is a partnership of industry, education, government, and community organizations that promotes careers in advanced manufacturing.
The Lehigh Valley has more than 100 international companies, including the U.S. headquarters of Olympus Corporation of the Americas (Japan) and B. Braun Medical (Germany). It is home to operations of global leaders like Mack Trucks (Sweden), Evonik (Germany), and Air Liquide (France).
Nearly half of the business location/expansion prospects that LVEDC has worked with recently are international.
In recent months, Lehigh Valley welcomed new investment from these global companies:
- Gesellschaft für Micronisierung mbH (GfM), a German company, bought the former IQE Building, a high-tech space with cleanrooms in south Bethlehem. GfM specializes in micronization of pharmaceutical, food, nutritional, and cosmetic ingredients. The project will bring up to 100 jobs.
- Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, a multinational manufacturer based in India, opened a logistics center in Upper Macungie Township.
- Messer, a German industrial and medical gases company, opened an office in Hanover Township, Northampton County.
- Safran Landing Systems, a French aviation maintenance company, moved into larger space in Bethlehem.
At SelectUSA, LVEDC staff spoke with businesses from countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Mali, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, and India. Follow-up conversations with several are in the works.
In April, LVEDC participated in another opportunity to promote opportunities for international businesses in the Lehigh Valley.
President & CEO Don Cunningham joined economic development leaders and corporate executives from around the world at the FDI Leaders Network Forum earlier this month in Vienna to discuss the global economy and international trade and investment.
Cunningham was one of three American delegates invited to engage with representatives from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The Lehigh Valley was selected because it is a hub of manufacturing, a key sector impacted by global policy debate.