Manufacturing
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How a Philadelphia Company Fits Into SpaceX’s $2 Trillion IPO Story
SpaceX completed its blockbuster initial public offering on Friday, and by the closing bell, its valuation had surged past $2 trillion, instantly making Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire, at least on paper. The headlines went where they always go: Musk, Starship, the future of space exploration. But buried in that story is a quieter…
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Inside Philadelphia’s Fleer Factory: The Rise and Fall of Olney’s Baseball Card Empire
For several decades, manufacturing company Fleer helped define generations of Philadelphians, as well as a prominent industry, writes Matt Breen for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Founded in Philadelphia in 1885, Fleer would later become a cornerstone of the city’s baseball card industry, printing its first baseball cards in 1923. Its productions included a 1986 Michael Jordan…
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Accupac Shutting Down New Jersey Plant as Operations Shift to Montgomery County
Accupac is consolidating its operations in Pennsylvania as the Harleysville manufacturer prepares to close a New Jersey production facility, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal. According to a filing submitted to New Jersey labor officials, the company plans to shut down its manufacturing plant in Lakewood, New Jersey, with layoffs beginning in August…
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Coatesville Steel Formed Backbone of the Nation’s Infrastructure and Shipbuilding
Opened by the Brandywine Iron Works and Nail Factory, later known as Lukens Steel, in 1810, Coatesville Steel Mill helped shape the backbone of the nation’s infrastructure and shipbuilding, according to a staff report from United Steelworkers. The mill, now owned by Cleveland-Cliffs, contributed to America’s first iron-hull sea vessel and manufactured steel for some…
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Hanwha Philly Shipyard Aims to Hire Up to 10,000 Workers, Quadrupling Workforce
South Korea-based Hanwha plans to quadruple its workforce at the Philadelphia Navy Yard shipyard, by aiming to hire up to 10,000 workers over the next five years, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal. The hiring spree is part of an effort to expand the shipyard’s production capacity more than tenfold, which should increase…
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‘60 Minutes’ Highlights Philadelphia’s Central Role in America’s Shipbuilding Revival
America has been struggling in the shipbuilding department for decades now, but Philadelphia could play a critical role in the potential of the nation’s industrial revival, according to a recent segment on 60 Minutes. The Philly Shipyard is one of only two remaining the nation building large commercial cargo ships. However, it now reflects decline…
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2026 Edition of ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’ Contest Inspires Students to Learn Real-World Skills
The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” contest for Pennsylvania’s Chester and Delaware Counties has announced the 2026 edition of its annual video competition. Nine local school teams, each paired with a manufacturing company partner, create two-minute videos that illustrate innovation, technology, and career opportunities in manufacturing. Manufacturing partners include Aerzen USA, ANRO, CPV Manufacturing, Lavazza,…
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Parkesburg Inventor Believes His Creations Could Change the World – If Only He Could Secure Funding
Anthony Paul Bellezza of Parkesburg believes his inventions could drastically change the way we do things, if he can secure the funding to develop them further, writes Bill Rettew for The Daily Local News. Bellezza said he invented groundbreaking methods for producing energy from a device that he designed, which is no larger than a…
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Hanwha Confirms Philly Shipyard’s Nuclear Submarine Capability for U.S. Navy
Hanwha Group’s global chief strategy officer Alex Wong recently said the company’s Philly Shipyard is capable of building a nuclear-powered submarine for the U.S. Navy, writes Heejin Kim for Reuters. “The U.S. government’s commitment to nuclear-powered submarine capability, its own and of the allies is very strong,” said Wong during Hanwha’s recent media day at…
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Chalfont’s Byers’ Choice Has Crafted Holiday Figures for Almost 50 Years
For decades, Byers’ Choice in Chalfont has been crafting its iconic figurines, helping to decorate homes across the country for the holidays, reports Christie Ileto for 6abc. There are 40 artisans in the production facility who handcraft, paint, dress, and accessorize each figure. The business was started by Joyce Byers almost fifty years ago. “She began making the carolers really as Christmas decorations for around the house,…
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Plumsteadville Business Is One of Two Handbell Manufacturers in America
Plumsteadville is home to Malmark Bellcraftsmen, one of only two handbell makers in the country that have crafted their musical instruments for over 50 years, writes JD Mullane for the Bucks County Courier Times. Malmark employs 34 machinists, fine tuners, and assemblers who craft its handbells. “It’s a very specialized business (because) it’s a hard learning curve to machine…
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WSJ: Philadelphia-Based Paint Maker Merges With Amsterdam Paint Maker to Create Global Giant
Philadelphia-based Axalta Coating Systems has agreed to an all-stock merger with Amsterdam’s AkzoNobel, forming a trans-Atlantic paint company valued at about $17 billion, writes Adrià Calatayud for The Wall Street Journal. The two paint makers that were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries respectively, first explored a potential merger in 2017, though the deal…
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WSJ: Philly Shipyard Faces Tough New Task in Ongoing Mission to Revive U.S. Shipbuilding
Hanwha Philly Shipyard, acquired by a South Korean firm last year, has a new objective in its mission to revive U.S. shipbuilding: producing a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time, writes Timothy W. Martin for The Wall Street Journal. Even before taking on its latest project, Philly Shipyard was already at the heart of President…
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Philadelphia Shipyard to Build South Korean Nuclear Submarines After U.S. Technology Deal
President Donald Trump announced last month on social media that the United States will share its nuclear submarine propulsion technology with South Korea, which plans to construct its submarines at the Philadelphia Shipyard, writes Justin Katz for Breaking Defense. “South Korea will be building its Nuclear Powered Submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in…
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West Grove Furniture Store to Close After 70 Years as Owners Plan Retirement
After nearly 70 years of service, West Grove-based Filacheck’s Furniture is closing its doors as longtime owners Bob and Deb Filacheck plan their retirement, writes Betsy Brewer Brantner for Chester County Press. Married for 52 years, the couple has worked side by side in the furniture business since the early days when the store was…
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Sojo Industries Signs Largest Lease of 2025 for Langhorne Building
Sojo Industries, the fast-growing packaging and robotics firm, has tripled its Bucks County footprint by signing a 215,000-square-foot lease in Langhorne, marking one of the largest leases in the Philadelphia region this year, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal. “We’re seeing tremendous growth in this region,” said Sojo Industries CEO Barak Bar-Cohen. “There’s…
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Tariffs Deal Blow to Warminster Electrochemical Instrumentation Firm
Warminster-based Gamry Instruments, which produces electrochemical instrumentation and accessories, is one of many Bucks County companies facing challenges related to tariffs, writes Tom Sofield for the New Hope Free Press. Gamry Instruments’ products range from glucose sensors to corrosion testing systems for the U.S. Navy ship hulls. They are used across both consumer and industrial…
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Manufacturing Firm Expands Chester County Presence with New, Larger Malvern Facility
IFM Prover, a subsidiary of the German manufacturing firm IFM, has expanded its Chester County presence with a new, larger facility in Malvern and aims to double its headcount, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal. The company officially debuted its new 89,000-square-foot space this week, which will serve as its U.S. operations base.…
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