A landmark study "Pennsylvania's True Commonwealth: State of Manufacturing- Challenges and Opportunities" shows that although manufacturing has faced challenges in recent years, it's still Pennsylvania's number one economic engine in terms of gross state product (GSP). It's also the fourth largest provider of jobs- with a family-sustaining average yearly salary of $52,204.

The study was led by one of the nation's foremost thought leaders on manufacturing, Dr. Edward W. Hill. Dr. Hill and his research team. The study examined the past three years of the manufacturing industry, data collected by the Industrial Resource Centers, state offices and as well as results from focus groups with 70 manufacturing CEOs. Read the rest of the blog.