Armstrong Hosts Manufacturing Summit

Lancaster, PA, Mar. 24--Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell yesterday addressed more than 200 participants in a Manufacturing Summit at Armstrong World Industries Inc., calling attention to the state's most pressing challenge of attracting and retaining jobs in the manufacturing sector. The Governor announced several new initiatives including the creation of an Office of Fair Trade Practices and a $2.5 million investment in manufacturers' workforce development needs. During a four-hour plenary session, Governor Rendell, who was joined by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Leo W. Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers of America, and John Surma, President and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Steel, asked manufacturing executives and labor leaders to collaborate and develop solutions to decreasing productivity levels while committing to beginning work with the Ben Franklin Partnership, State Employees Retirement System and Public School Employees' Retirement System on ways to reach new levels of investment in the manufacturing sector. "Manufacturing has played an important role in our state's history and remains an essential component of Pennsylvania's economy, contributing more than $64 billion in economic activity each year," Governor Rendell said. "Hundreds of thousands of good-paying, family-supporting jobs depend on the success of the industry, and my administration's commitment and the hard work of the people here today will bring us one step closer to securing its future." Governor Rendell noted that Pennsylvania has lost more than 133,000 jobs according to a study entitled "Manufacturing Pennsylvania's Future: Regional Strategies that Build from Current Strengths and Address Competitive Challenges." A combination of recent economic downturns coupled with fierce foreign competition, especially from China and Mexico, has dramatically affected the manufacturing industry in Pennsylvania. "In spite of severe job losses, the manufacturing sector is still the backbone of our economy," said Governor Rendell. "In Pennsylvania, our manufacturing workers and the companies they work for kept this state afloat as the state's largest sector, and I am determined to increase the educational level of the workers in this important sector, and help to bring more jobs to folks looking to join."