Sunbury, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Executive Deputy Secretary Mike Hanna toured Fresh Roasted Coffee and Sivana Converting in Northumberland County to see firsthand operations supported by Governor Tom Wolf’s investments to create good paying manufacturing jobs in the commonwealth during Manufacturing Week in Pennsylvania.

“I’m excited to be in Sunbury today for Manufacturing Week and to see firsthand these two great local manufacturers in action,” said Hanna. “The Wolf Administration has been proud to support these companies and it’s great to see them flourish, grow and be cornerstones of this community.”

According to a new annual report by the Governor’s Action Team for 2020-2021, Governor Wolf invested $8.65 million to secure more than 3,100 manufacturing jobs in central PA last year. This investment also garnered a $1.2 billion investment in local communities.

Founded in 2009, Fresh Roasted Coffee is an eco-friendly coffee roaster, co-packer and distributor, serving companies and consumers through their online marketplace and brick and mortar location in Sunbury.

In 2021, Gov. Tom Wolf toured Fresh Roasted Coffee and announced a $1.77 million funding proposal from the Governor’s Action Team (GAT) to help renovate and upgrade the 84,000-square-foot former Sunbury Textile Mill, purchase new equipment and create 46 new, full-time jobs and retain 35 jobs in Northumberland County. Under Gov. Wolf, Fresh Roasted Coffee has also received over $262,000 in tax credits through DCED’s Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) program.

“We’re very grateful for the support we have received from the Wolf Administration and our state and local government representatives and we appreciate the opportunity to take part in the Manufacturing Week events,” said Andrew Oakes, president of Fresh Roasted Coffee. “These partnerships have been the foundation on which our business was built and we look forward to continuing these relationships and growing Fresh Roasted Coffee in the Susquehanna Valley for many years to come.”

Following his visit to Fresh Roasted Coffee, Executive Deputy Secretary Hanna toured nearby Sivana Converting. The company is an industrial hemp manufacturer that produces hemp-based biodegradable plastic food containers, cups, plates, and straws for the commercial market. During the Wolf Administration, they received $800,000 through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) for renovations and upgrades at their 350,000 square-foot-section of the Sunbury Textile Mill.

“We are happy to host this visit today and to be a part of Manufacturing Week, and we appreciate the support of the Wolf Administration,” said Soheil Shahrooz, CEO, Sivana Converting. “We’re proud to be in Sunbury and look forward to operating here for many years to come.”

Governor Wolf’s Administration-Long Job Creation Legacy Includes:

• 194,000 jobs created and retained through GAT since 2015
• 430 completed projects that garnered a total of $17.8 billion in private investments to support communities across the commonwealth
• $396.3 million in state investments to support new and growing businesses, resulting in a record $17.8 billion private investment, $476.15 million in new local tax revenue, and $417.62 million in new state tax revenue
• Every $1 invested in GAT projects has gained $102 in private support for Pennsylvania’s communities and economy – a public to private ratio $75 higher than during the Corbett Administration
• More than 67 percent of jobs created through GAT over the past eight years have been in manufacturing (In 2021 alone, more than 84 percent of jobs created were in manufacturing)

Key Facts About Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Industry

Manufacturing is at the heart of Pennsylvania’s economy:

• 6th largest manufacturing industry in the U.S. by employment
• $113.2 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021
• 562,700+ employees (~9.5 percent of all private sector jobs in PA)
• 14,000+ manufacturing establishments

Manufacturing offers well-paying, family-sustaining jobs in PA:

• Manufacturing workers earn 33 percent more compared to the average for other nonfarm business in the state
• $86,129 average compensation in manufacturing in PA, including benefits

As part of Manufacturing Week, DCED has been touring local manufacturers in every region of the commonwealth and will be wrapping up the week’s celebrations with tour(s) in Luzerne and Wyoming counties.

For more information about Manufacturing Week, visit the DCED website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and be sure to talk about your manufacturing company on your social media using the hashtags #MFGWeek22, #IMakeInPA, #MadeInPA, and #PASmart.

Gov. Wolf has served for two terms as a leader consistently at work for the people of Pennsylvania. Learn more about how his Priorities for Pennsylvania have fueled the commonwealth’s comeback, leaving Pennsylvania in a much better place than when he arrived.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Penny Ickes, DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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