More Advanced Manufacturing Coming to Pittsburgh Region

Long legendary for heavy manufacturing, the Pittsburgh region is now attracting sophisticated precision manufacturing.

This month, investors and government officials announced $81 million in investment for a space north of the city that housed an aluminum factory for decades.

Re:Build Manufacturing’s facility, will occupy a 175,000-square foot space built by Alcoa and more recently occupied by Siemens. It is expected to create 300 full-time jobs over the next three years.

Officials said the state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facility will make complex subcomponents and finished products for a host of different industries, including those involving aircraft, electric vehicles, medical devices, and new kinds of power production, according to the Post-Gazette.

The investment includes $18.75 million in state grants and loans.

Public officials praised the investment, while Re:Build’s executives say its plans will help reduce the sorts of supply chain disruptions that led to shortages everywhere from supermarkets to auto plants during the pandemic.

“This is a great win for the region and is part of revitalizing America’s manufacturing base,” said Matt Smith, a board member of the Allegheny County Airport Authority and chief growth officer at the Allegheny Conference, a nonprofit organization that promotes economic development in Southwestern Pennsylvania. “It is innovative technologies for advanced manufacturing in a city with a great legacy of manufacturing.”

Storied history

The New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park, as the site will be called, represents a vast change from the days when molten steel poured from the region’s many blast furnaces.

Home to one of Alcoa’s earliest factories, the facility closed in 1971 and was never fully occupied again. Currently in disrepair, the New Kensington facility requires $31 million in renovations, which will be funded by grants or loans from government and foundations.

The site’s businesses are based on Pittsburgh’s best technology, said Pennsylvania’s governor, Josh Shapiro, and will focus on growing industries like energy, robotics, aerospace and biotech.

“I’m proud that Re:Build chose Western Pennsylvania for this project – sending a strong signal to other companies that Pennsylvania is open for business and we want you here,” Shapiro said. “Making our Commonwealth a leader in innovation, job creation, and economic development is a top priority for my administration, and we stand ready to continue making projects like this one possible.”