Just in time for Pennsylvania Manufacturing Week, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) has released a new video touting the region’s manufacturing sector and many of the iconic manufacturers and brands that call the Lehigh Valley home.

“Moving from an agricultural society through the industrial history, this Lehigh Valley region forged a nation.” Kara Mohsinger, President & CEO of National Museum of Industrial History, says at the beginning of the two-minute video.

Available to view and share on LVEDC’s YouTube channel, the video touches upon why the Lehigh Valley is a Top 50 market in the United States for manufacturing, and features such companies as Crayola, Mack Trucks, B Braun Medical, Ocean Spray, Lutron, Just Born, Victaulic, and OraSure Technologies.

“Manufacturing in the Lehigh Valley has always been a very strong driver in the GDP,” said Rich Hobbs, President & CEO of the Manufacturers Resource Center. “It’s here, it’s here to stay, and it’s going to grow. … Manufacturing puts the Lehigh Valley on the map.”

The video was first released during the LVEDC Fall Signature Event, held Sept. 20 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Easton. The event prominently highlighted Lehigh Valley’s manufacturing sector, with Crayola President & CEO Rich Wuethele delivering keynote remarks on the subject.

The event also included a panel discussion with the corporate leaders of such companies as B. Braun Medical, Victaulic, Stuffed Puffs, and A.P. Deauville. They discussed how factors like the Lehigh Valley’s central location, proximity to markets, and skilled workforce make the region an attractive place for manufacturing.

The newly-released video also highlights these economic assets, noting that the Lehigh Valley is within one day’s drive of one-third of all U.S. consumers. Manufacturing employment in the Lehigh Valley grew 11 times faster than that of the nation in the last five years.

The video also shows how the spirit of innovation that fuels the region’s manufacturing has long been present in the Lehigh Valley , from the Moravians settling here utilizing the region’s many natural resources, to Bethlehem Steel and its cutting-edge manufacturing during the World Wars.

The video was commissioned by LVEDC and produced by the Emmy-winning FireRock Productions. LVEDC encourages viewers to share the video or embed it on their own websites and social media posts where appropriate.