From Papathways.org:

2008 Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania Released From food to transportation, it has become harder than ever to budget for basic needs as costs increase, according to the latest edition of the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2008 released in Harrisburg on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008. The report defines a county-specific self-sufficiency wage, which is the income at which a family can cover its costs without choosing between basic necessities such as childcare versus nutritional food, adequate housing versus healthcare, and is on the road to economic independence. As a measure, the Standard provides a more accurate picture than do federal poverty guidelines on the economic needs of working families.

 

For the first time in publishing the Standard, PathWaysPA has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to produce this Standard. The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania has also provided funding and support on this publication. The 6th edition of the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2008 was developed by Diana M. Pearce, Ph.D., director for the Center for Women’s Welfare, University of Washington School of Social Work. It was prepared by university staff along with Carol Goertzel and Marianne Bellesorte of PathWaysPA.

 

The Self-Sufficency Standard for
Pennsylvania 2008

                                            

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The Penn State Workforce Education & Development Initiative released on 27 June 2008 a report by Rose M. Baker and David L. Passmore, Benchmarks for Pennsylvania Plastics Industry, a report funded through a contract for the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative from the Employment and Training Administration of the US Department of Labor.

Although manufacturing, in general, is declining in the United States, plastics manufacturing is growing in many regions of Pennsylvania. Plastics firms in Pennsylvania supply more than one–half of the plastics materials required by Pennsylvania’s fastest growing industries. At the same time, Pennsylvania plastics manufacturers have opportunities to capture an increasing share of the Pennsylvania market for plastics, in spite of strong competition from neighboring counties (Canada and Mexico) and trading partners (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, and Japan); out–migration of younger workers; relatively high energy costs; and needs for infusion of new investment and venture capital, for improvement of worker skills to fit the “new economy,” and for reduction of business costs of taxes and real estate.

This report was funded by a grant awarded under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration. The information contained in this product was created by a grantee organization and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. All references to non-governmental companies or organizations, their services, products, or resources are offered for informational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement by the Department of Labor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it and is intended for individual organizational, noncommercial use only.

The Centre Daily Times ran a front-page story today about the the sudden closure of Bolton Metals plant in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The article, available as an Adobe PDF file, contains information from a Economic and Workforce Brief, "Nonferrous Foundry and Forging in Centre County, Pennsylvania," produced by the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative.

Two Penn State researchers who recently completed an analysis of the plastics manufacturing industry will discuss the implications of their findings at a breakfast seminar at Penn State Hazleton from 8 to 10 a.m., Fri., May 2, in the conference room 103 of the Charles T. Butler Teaching and Learning Resource Center. There is a $20 registration fee.

Sponsored by Penn State Hazleton Continuing Education and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), the event will feature Rose Baker, program manager of Penn State’s Economic and Workforce Analysis Initiative, and David Passmore, director of Penn State’s Institute for Research in Training and Development. The report, “Forecast of Employment and Job Openings in Pennsylvania Plastics Manufacturing, 2004–2017,” was funded through a contract between the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative and the Employment and Training Administration of the US Department of Labor. An online copy of the report is available at http://paplasticsjobs.notlong.com/.

According to Debra Conway, assistant director of Continuing Education at Penn State Hazleton, “There are more than 3,300 plastics manufacturing jobs in the region. Penn State’s report about the future of Pennsylvania plastics manufacturing has rich implications for the health of the area’s economy.” Plastics manufacturing is a productive and growing industry in Pennsylvania, but must face a number of threats if it is to maintain its growth and stability.

Baker said, “Output and productivity of the Pennsylvania plastics industry are likely to grow. As with all manufacturing in Pennsylvania and in the entire country, global competition and the need to reduce production costs will continue to affect plastics industry employment.” Passmore added, “There is constant pressure on the industry to stay competitive.” As an example, he noted that China’s low labor costs and undervalued currency allow its plastics manufacturers to operate at relatively low profit margins. These factors could allow China to increase its penetration of U.S. markets. Baker and Passmore will also discuss the affects of future U.S. policies and legislation, exports, increased competition, business-to-business sales, and other potential problems and opportunities.

To make a reservation or for information about this seminar and continuing education opportunities at Penn State Hazleton, contact Debra Conway at (570) 450-3136 or e-mail dxk40@psu.edu.

On 29 February 2008, Rose Baker and David Passmore made a presentation, Your Electrifying Utility Bill: A Forecast of Pennsylvania Economic and Workforce Changes Resulting from Removal of Electrical Rate Caps, to the Society for Workforce Education & Development on University Park Campus of Penn State. Links to their slide show and briefing paper are available at http://PAElectricRateCaps.notlong.com/.

In a nutsehell, electrical rate caps imposed under deregulation of the Pennsylvania electricity industry will be eliminated completely for residential, commercial, and industrial electricity customers by 2010. Prices per kilowatt–hour consumed for residences and businesses are anticipated to rise remarkably (40% to 70% increases are possible). Baker, Passmore, and their research team (Matthew Loiacono, Laura Miller, and Shakoor Ward) benchmarked the impact of a 10% electricity price increase on many Pennsylvania economic indicators, including private nonfarm employment, total economic output, gross state product, real disposable income, and population. These benchmarks were created using the Pennsylvania REMI Policy Insight model, a 70–sector structural economic and demographic forecasting and policy analysis model. Their simulations using Policy Insight are built on the notion that an increase in the price of electricity will alter household spending and add to industry production costs, resulting in loss of Pennsylvania jobs, income, economic output, and population.

A taste of the preliminary findings of the study for one of our simulation scenarios that examines the impact of each 10% increase in the price of electricity to residential and business customers:
   * 6,500 Pennsylvania jobs lost in 2010, rising to approximately 10,000 jobs in 2015.
   * $840 million in Pennsylvania economic output foregone in 2010; almost $1.8 billion in 2015.
   * Reduction of almost $1 billion in disposable personal income in 2010; over $1.1 billion in 2015.
   * Loss of approximately 3,700 residents due to out-migration in 2010; 16,000 in 2015.
Also, the impact of rate increases is likely to vary by income class. Pennsylvanians in the lowest income level could bear roughly two times the burden of the effects of price increases as could people in the highest income level.

The research on the impact of anticipated electricity price changes discuss in the 29 February meeting was conducted through the Penn State Workforce Education and Development (WED) Initiative, an alliance between the College of Education and Penn State Outreach to support the development of the workforce in Pennsylvania primarily through the application of Penn State resources to conduct economic and workforce analyses for employers, industry partnerships, nonprofit organizations, and government entities. For a guide to information on the web about the WED Initiative, see http://PSU–WEDI–Guide.notlong.com.

The Penn State WED Initiative often conducts research analysis about topics and issues—such as the electricity rate issue—that, at times, are the focus of vigorous debate and public attention and that frequently are associated with diverse stakeholders who represent divergent opinions. The Initiative adds value to this debate, attention, and discussion by conducting and reporting research and analysis decisions affecting economic and workforce development using the most objective approaches possible. The research and analysis of the WED Initiative are pursued independent of the commercial or political interests of any actual or potential sponsor of WED Initiative work. All research meeting the Initiative’s standards of quality for conduct and reporting is available to the public via links through “publications” and “presentations” keywords at this web site.
 

Rose M. Baker and David Passmore completed a report, Powdered Metals in North Central Pennsylvania, which contains a précis for an analysis of the global competitive position of powdered metallurgy part manufacturing in Pennsylvania’s North Central Workforce Investment (WIA) area. The report was released through the Penn State Workforce Education and Development (WED) Initiative. They presented their report at a meeting of the Powdered Metal Industry Consortium in Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, on 19 February 2008. An 1.2 MB Adobe PDF file containing this report is available.

Powdered metallurgy manufacturing processes form green metal parts from particulate powders which, then, are sintered to produce complex, near–shape parts with high dimensional controls, low scrap, and desirable metallurgical properties. Pennsylvania, especially the North Central WIA, has captured the dominant share of the U.S. powdered metallurgy manufacturing.

Threats to the powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry in the North Central WIA include global competition and the possibility that the industry might begin reaching a growth ceiling associated with maturing industries. Opportunities exist for the powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry in the North Central WIA to yield cost and flexibility advantages relative to more traditional metal forming industries. Additional opportunities are available for improving the impact of the powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry on employment and earnings in the North Central WIA through substitution of local supply for imports and through increasing the competitiveness of the regional powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry.

The powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry is subject to global competitive pressures. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis provides a framework for benchmarking the global competitive position of the powdered metallurgy manufacturing industry. The five forces underlying Porter’s model include: threat of new entrants; threat of substitute products; bargaining power of customers; bargaining power of suppliers, and competitive rivalry within an industry.

The Penn State WED Initiative is designing a study of the global competitive position of the powdered metal part manufacturing industry around Porter’s framework as an aid to strategic planning for the stability and growth of the industry.
 

The lead article appearing in the 2 February 2008 Centre Daily Times about the closing of Bolton Metal Products in Bellefonte ("Bolton Metal: Most of 94-year-old Bellefonte facility to shut down; Almost 200 jobs lost;" see copy at http://BoltonMetal.notlong.com). To add some information for deliberations about this plant closing, the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative pulled together analysis resources to estimate the economic impacts of nonferrous foundry and forging industry in Centre County. Information in a  proprietary index published by Dunn & Bradstreet indicates that the primary products of the Bolton Metal Products facility are part of the output of the nonferrous foundry and forging industry.

The result of the analysis effort is an Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of the Nonferrous Foundry and Forging Industry in the Economy of Centre County, Pennsylvania.” This report quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the nonferrous foundry and forging industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the County.

An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm. Moreover, the Brief does not estimate the net effect of the Bolton plant closing. That is, the Centre County economy might mitigate the impacts of the Bolton plant closing by absorbing workers released from Bolton into jobs at the same or different level of compensation in other firms. In general Pennsylvania is shedding jobs in manufacturing for a variety of complex reasons and is gaining jobs in service industries. Wages offered in service industries often are lower than those paid in manufacturing industries.

For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:
http://PSUBrief.notlong.com

Rose Baker and David Passmore were interviewed for an article, "2008: A period of great uncertainty, that appeared in Pennsylvania Business Central, on January 18, 2008, on page 6. An Adobe PDF copy of the article containing the interview is available at: http://forecast2008.notlong.com.

The Penn State Workforce Education & Development Initiative released on 25 January 2008 a report by Rose M. Baker and David L. Passmore about the impact of the closing of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base. The abstract of the 22-page report, Population, & Employment Consequences of the Closing of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base:

The Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to close by 2010. The Base closing is anticipated to have broad effects on the economy, population, and labor market of Montgomery County. This report contains a forecast of the potential impacts of the Base closing on the economy, population, and workforce of Montgomery County and on assessing a variety of industrial development opportunities afforded Montgomery County by use of the surplus land that becomes available after the property is transferred from the U.S. Department of Defense to its new owners. A team of researchers from Penn State’s Workforce Education and Development Initiative applied state–of–the–art information, forecasting, and modeling tools to assess the economic, population, and workforce impact of losses of jobs, spending, and reservists’ visits as a result of the Base closing. In brief, the closing of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base is forecasted to have a minimal effect on the economy, population, and workforce of Montgomery County. At the same time, development opportunities exist for use of surplus Base land. These findings imply that targeting additional workforce development efforts to mitigate the impact of the Base closing beyond those already available through PA CareerLink might not yield substantial additional benefits for the economy of Montgomery County and for the well–being of its workers and employers.

An Adobe PDF file containing the report is available for download at http://WillowGrove-BRAC.notlong.com. 

On 19 January 2008, the Beaver County Times ran an article, "Airport effects this economy more than most," containing an interview with Rose Baker and David Passmore about the Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief, "The Role of Airports in the Economy of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania."

he Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis that provides an estimate of the economic impacts of ethyl alcohol manufacturing in Clearfield County and produced an Economic and Workforce Brief, “Potential Role of Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing in the Economy of Clearfield County.”
 
Bioenergy International LLC announced during August 2006 that they will build a plant, called Bionol Clearfield, in the Clearfield County Technology Park. The plant is anticipated to be operational in 2008 and is expected to produce 108 million gallons of corn-based and cellulosic ethanol per year.  For more information about Bioenergy International and its new plant, Bionol Clearfield, refer to:
http://www.bioenergyllc.com
http://www.bioenergyllc.com/projects.htm#clearfield
http://BionolClearfield.notlong.com

The analysis in the Brief focuses on the impact of the basic organic chemical manufacturing industry in Clearfield County, of which ethyl alcohol manufacturing will be a part. The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the basic organic chemical manufacturing industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region. This Brief helps explain the potential impact of ethyl alcohol manufacturing to the extent that ethyl alcohol manufacturing follows patterns of industry supply and compensation that are similar to its parent industry, basic organic chemical manufacturing.

Caution is recommended in the interpretation of estimates contained in the Brief. For instance, every 100 jobs in basic organic chemical manufacturing are associated with 316 jobs in other industries that supply basic organic chemical manufacturing with goods and services that the industry needs for its production processes. The levels of job, compensation, and tax impacts estimated in the Brief are possible only if the supply chain of industries that sell to basic organic chemical manufacturing is established and operating within Clearfield County. Otherwise, these potential local jobs will be exported to suppliers outside Clearfield County. Industry development and skill creation for Clearfield County enterprises that will supply the Bionol plant are critical.

An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.

For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:
http://PSUBrief.notlong.com

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of electronic and appliance stores in Centre County.

An Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Electronic & Appliance Stores in the Economy of Centre County, Pennsylvania,” quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the electronic and appliance stores industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.
 
This Brief explains the economic impact of a company such as Neutron Inc on the economy of Centre County. Neutron Inc is primarily a store which sells computers and software. The analysis in the attached Brief focuses on the impact of the electronic and appliance stores industry, of which the computer and software stores industry is a part. For more information about the Neutron, Inc, refer to the following website:
http://www.neutronusa.com
 
The electronic and appliance stores industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in retailing household-type appliances, cameras, computers, and other electronic goods. Computer and software stores are engaged in retailing new computers, computer peripherals, and prepackaged computer software.
 
Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that 395 establishments in Pennsylvania were computer and software stores. These stores generated $480.6 million in receipts (2.9% of US receipts in computer and software stores) with 2,810 employees (3.8% of US employees in computer and software stores) and an annual payroll of $58.2 million (3.2% of US payroll in computer and software stores).
 
An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:

http://PSUBrief.notlong.com

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of hospitals in Butler County.
 
An Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Hospitals in the Economy of Butler County,” quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the hospital industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region. As an economic entity, the hospital industry provides medical, diagnostic, and treatment services that include physician, nursing, and other health services to inpatients and the specialized accommodation services required by inpatients. The industry also provides outpatient services as a secondary activity. Establishments in the hospital industry provide inpatient health services, many of which are available only using the specialized facilities and equipment that form a significant and integral part of the hospital infrastructure.
 
This Brief explains the potential economic impact of Butler Memorial Hospital on the economy of Butler County. Butler Memorial Hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital, which recently was awarded $13.4 million by the Commonwealth for an expansion. The expansion will include a seven-story acute care tower, various road improvements, renovation and expansion of its outpatient facility and emergency room, a central utility plant, and other technology investments. The expansion project is anticipated to create 500 new jobs. For more information about the Butler Memorial Hospital, refer to the following websites:
http://butlermemorialhospital.notlong.com
http://www.butlerhealthsystem.org
 
Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that there were 215 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in general medical and surgical hospitals that generated $22.4 billion in receipts (4.8% of US receipts in general medical and surgical hospitals) with 239,952 employees (5% of US employees in general medical and surgical hospitals) and an annual payroll of $9 billion (4.9% of US payroll in general medical and surgical hospitals).
 
An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:

http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
 

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis recently of the economic impacts of gas and oil extraction and refining in McKean County and released the  Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Gas & Oil Extraction & Refining in the Economy of McKean County.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the gas and oil extraction and refining industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.   
 
The analysis in the Brief focuses on the impact of the gas and oil extraction and refining industry in McKean County. The gas and oil extraction and refining industry was created for the Brief by combining information available separately for oil and gas extraction, drilling oil and gas wells, support activities for oil and gas operations, and petroleum refineries. Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that:

• There were 152 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in oil and gas extraction that generated $583 million in receipts (0.5% of US receipts in oil and gas extraction) with 1,640 employees (1.6% of US employees in oil and gas extraction) and an annual payroll of $81.4 million (1.5% of US payroll in oil and gas extraction).
• There were 48 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in drilling oil and gas wells that generated $101.8 billion in receipts (1.1% of US receipts in drilling oil and gas wells) with 789 employees (1.3% of US employees in drilling oil and gas wells) and an annual payroll of $31.8 million (1.3% of US payroll in drilling oil and gas wells).
• There were 80 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in support activities for oil and gas operations that generated $105.2 million in receipts (0.9% of US receipts in support activities for oil and gas operations) with 1,007 employees (0.9% of US employees in support activities for oil and gas operations) and an annual payroll of $36.3 million (0.9% of US payroll in support activities for oil and gas operations).
• There were 9 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in petroleum refineries that generated $10.4 billion in receipts (5.4% of US receipts in petroleum refineries) with 3,482 employees (5.7% of US employees in petroleum refineries) and an annual payroll of $229.4 million (5.3% of US payroll in petroleum refineries). 
  

An exemplary firm involved within the gas and oil extraction and refining cluster is American Refining Group, Inc. located in Bradford, PA. The refining facility is located on about 131 acres in McKean County just off of U.S. Route 219. The company is mainly engaged in refining 100% pure Pennsylvania grade crude oil, which carries the trademark name “PENN-GRADE™”. Other products manufactured by the company are petroleum resins, petroleum extracts, slack waxes, and petrolatums under the Kendex® product name. Specialty PENN-GRADE™ naphthas and distillates under the Kensol® product name are also created by American Refining Group, Inc. For more information about American Refining Group, Inc., refer to the following website:
http://amref.com

An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:
http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site.

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of wood products in Adams, Dauphin, and York countiesvreleased the Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Wood Products in the Economy of Adams, Dauphin, and York Counties.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the wood products industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.
 
The analysis in the Brief focuses on the impact of the wood products industry in Adams, Dauphin, and York counties. The analysis of the wood products industry for this Brief was assembled by combining information from the cut stock, resawing, and planing industry with other millwork (including flooring). Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that:

• There were 67 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in cut stock, resawing lumber, and planing that generated $412.7 million in receipts (7.2% of US receipts in cut stock, resawing lumber, and planing) with 2,529 employees (7.3% of US employees in cut stock, resawing lumber, and planing) and an annual payroll of $69.9 million (7.8% of US payroll in cut stock, resawing lumber, and planing).
• There were 108 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in other millwork (including flooring) that generated $156.9 million in receipts (2.7% of US receipts in other millwork, including flooring) with 1,242 employees (2.8% of US employees in other millwork, including flooring) and an annual payroll of $33.9 million (2.8% of US payroll in other millwork, including flooring).

 An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to: http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site.

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of plastics plumbing fixture and miscellaneous plastics products manufacturing in Adams and York counties released an Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Plastics Plumbing Fixture and Miscellaneous Plastics Products Manufacturing in the Economy of Adams and York Counties.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by this specific plastics manufacturing industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.
 
This Brief contains an analysis of activity of establishments primarily engaged in plastics plumbing fixture manufacturing in North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 326191 and all other plastics products manufacturing in NAICS code 326199 (a residual classification of establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing plastics products, except film, sheet, bags, profile shapes, pipes, pipe fittings, laminates, foam products, bottles, plumbing fixtures, and resilient floor coverings). Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that there were 361 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in all other plastics products manufacturing that generated $3.8 billion in receipts (5.2% of U.S. receipts in all other plastic products manufacturing) with 27,516 employees (5.6% of U.S. employees in all other plastic products manufacturing) and an annual payroll of $853 million (5.6% of U.S. payroll in all other plastic products manufacturing). Information about plastics plumbing fixture manufacturing is suppressed in the 2002 Economic Census to maintain the confidentiality of the industry’s 13 Pennsylvania firms.

A related report is available. The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative recently released a report, "Forecast of Employment and Job Openings in Pennsylvania Plastics Manufacturing, 2004-2017," for the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative. This report is available as an Adobe PDF file at:
http://PaPlasticsJobs.notlong.com

An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:
http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site.

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in Bucks and Montgomery counties and prepared the Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals in the Economy of Bucks & Montgomery Counties.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.  
 
This Brief explains the potential economic impact of Almac Group, which is constructing its North American headquarters in Lower Salford Township, Montgomery County. The company based out of Northern Ireland plans to bring at least 262 jobs to the area within three years. Almac Group is an integrated research, development, and manufacturing services provider for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The Almac Group’s 240,000 square-foot headquarters will combine existing operations in the area and retain 500 of the people working for the company in the region. The process of creating this facility will be completed in several phases and, by 2013, the company expects more than 400 additional people to be working at the new facility. For more information about Almac Group locating their North American headquarters in Lower Salford Township, refer to the following websites:
http://tinyurl.com/yvh89f  
http://tinyurl.com/26rfda
 
The analysis in the Brief focuses on the impact of the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry in Bucks and Montgomery counties. The biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry for the brief was created by combining information from the biotechnology research and development laboratories and services with pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing. Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that:

• There were 480 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in biotechnology research and development laboratories that generated $2.6 billion in receipts (4.3% of US receipts in biotechnology research and development laboratories) with 32,627 employees (5.9% of US employees in biotechnology research and development laboratories) and an annual payroll of $2.5 billion (6.3% of US payroll in biotechnology research and development laboratories).
• There were 69 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in other pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing that generated $21.9 billion in receipts (15.6% of US receipts in pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing) with 15,788 employees (6.3% of US employees in pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing) and an annual payroll of $1 billion (7.6% of US payroll in pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing).

An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to:
http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site.

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic impacts of business support services in Blair and Cambria counties and prepared the Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Business Support Services in the Economy of Blair & Cambria Counties.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the business support services industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.
 
This Brief explains the economic impact of American Customer Care Inc. establishing a customer service call center in Logan Township, Blair County. The call center will be housed in 11,000 square feet of the Fiore Furniture building on Cayuga Avenue. American Customer Care Inc. is primarily engaged in telephone answering services. The company reports that it will employ approximately 125 workers by January 2008 and a total of 200 workers by October 2008. For more information about American Customer Care Inc. setting up a customer service call center in Logan Township, refer to the following websites:
http://tinyurl.com/3d2f79
http://tinyurl.com/2z3o2w
 
Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that there were 112 establishments in the Pennsylvania involved in telephone answering services that generated $87.2 million in receipts (4.1% of US receipts in telephone answering services) with 2,578 employees (3.9% of US employees in telephone answering services) and an annual payroll of $48.1 million (3.5% of US payroll in telephone answering services). The analysis in the attached Brief focuses on the impact of the business support services industry in Blair and Cambria counties. Telephone answering services are an important part of this industry.
 
An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.
 
For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to: http://PSUBrief.notlong.com
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site

Rose M. Baker and David Passmore presented Tossing the Cap: Electrical Rate Changes in Pennsylvania Starting in 2010 at the Annual Users Conference of Regional Economic Models, "Regional Economies: the Building Block of the Global Community,” in La Jolla, California, on 22 October 2007.

The presentation benchmarked the impact of 1% changes in Pennsylvania industrial, commercial, and residential electricity prices, relative to entire U.S. economy,  on the Pennsylvania economy. The information presented is a preliminary view of a report, schedule for release in November 2007, by the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative that examines the effects of removing caps in 2010 on electrical price rates that have existed for approximately ten years in Pennsylvania. In brief, a 1% change in industrial, commercial, and residential rates in Pennsylvania relative to the U.S. is worth the following macroeconomic changes in the Pennsylvania economy in 2015:

• Total output (2000$) = –$235.6 mill
• Gross state product (2000$) = –$130.1mill, most as a result of reduction in PCE
• Population = –2,593 people
  
• Private nonfarm employment = –1,449 workers (reduction in PCE accounts for one-half; two-thirds from manufacturing sector)
• Real disposable personal income = -$5.26 mill
  

For additional information about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu).

 

The Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative conducted an analysis of the economic and workforce impacts of power generation and supply in Bucks County and released an Economic and Workforce Brief, “Role of Power Generation & Supply in the Economy of Bucks County.” The Brief quantifies the role of every 100 workers employed by the power generation and supply industry in generating jobs, compensation, and property taxes in the region.

This Brief helps explain the impact of plans recently announced by Governor Ed Rendell for the construction of a new solar energy power station, which will be the fourth largest of its kind in the country. There will be more than 16,500 solar panels built on 16.5 acres, which are adjacent to Waste Management’s GROWS landfill in Falls Township, Bucks County. When the plant is completed, it could produce 3,700 megawatts of power, which is enough power to supply 300-350 homes. For more about the plans to construct the new solar energy power facility, refer to the following websites:
http://tinyurl.com/2mdagv
http://tinyurl.com/25aymp
http://tinyurl.com/2bx72o
http://www.fallstwp.com

Data from the 2002 Economic Census, the most recent economic census available, indicate that there were 9,394 establishments in the United States involved in electric power generation and supply, with 282 establishments in Pennsylvania employing 25,266 workers (4.7% of U.S. employees in electric power generation and supply) and an annual payroll of $1.98 billion (5.6% of U.S. payroll of electric power generation and supply). Economic impact data available does not include specific enough information about solar energy facilities and electric power generation, so the more general category of electric power generation and supply was analyzed. In this way, the analysis in the Brief focuses on the impact of the electric power generation and supply industry in Bucks County. The electric power generation and supply industry mainly includes companies that operate power generation facilities, operate transmission facilities, and operate distribution systems that deliver electric power to consumers.
 
An analysis behind a Penn State Economic & Workforce Brief targets an industry (a group of establishments providing similar products or services), not an individual firm. As a result, economic and workforce impacts calculated for a Brief represent an industry average, not the impacts generated by an individual firm.

For additional information about this Brief or about the work of the Penn State Workforce Education and Development Initiative, contact Rose M. Baker (814.865.9919; rmb194@psu.edu) or David L. Passmore (814.863.2583; dlp@psu.edu). To view other Brief reports produced about other Pennsylvania industries and regions, navigate to: http://PSUBrief.notlong.com.
Order a Brief for your area using a form provided on this web site.