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Governor Shapiro’s recent announcement of $64 million in investments through the PA Sites program marks a significant step forward for Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry. These strategic site development funds will help attract new employers, spark private investment, and create high-quality jobs across the Commonwealth, especially in communities ready to grow their industrial footprint. This investment reaffirms what we already know: manufacturing is essential to Pennsylvania’s economic vitality. It’s not just…

Until recently, manufacturers that wanted to show they were responsibly using AI had two options: pay for expensive consulting services or settle for templated documentation that rarely matched the realities of their operations. That’s starting to change with ISO 42001, the world’s first AI management system standard. Released in late 2023, ISO 42001 offers a structured way for organizations—especially manufacturers—to demonstrate they are using AI systems in a transparent, accountable,…

In the world of business, it's easy to focus on transactions—orders placed, services delivered, accounts closed. But great companies know that real loyalty isn’t built on transactions. It’s built on moments. And sometimes, the most defining customer moments aren’t when everything goes right—they’re when everything goes wrong. Take Chewy, the online pet food company, as a powerful example. Chewy’s model is built around recurring deliveries. Pet food shows up…

For small and mid-sized manufacturers, burnout isn’t just a people problem—it’s a business risk hiding in plain sight. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and highlighted by Fast Company found that burnout costs U.S. companies an average of $5 million annually for a 1,000-person workforce. For smaller manufacturers, the loss still adds up—easily $1 million or more per year, depending on workforce size and…

Tariffs are back in the headlines, and for manufacturers in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the pressure is real. With steel and aluminum duties soaring to 50%, and Chinese imports facing levies as high as 145%, the cost of doing business has spiked overnight . Catalyst Connection, Pittsburgh’s go-to resource for manufacturers, has been tracking this turbulence closely. Here are five practical, field-tested ways to stay resilient in the face of trade…