Lehigh Valley, Pa., located near the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border, is home to a growing cluster of companies engaged in the life science industries. The region is aggressively attracting companies – many of which are seeking to expand from nearby New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia metro areas. Additionally, it is nurturing startups in a highly successful incubator housed on the Lehigh University campus. Attractive grants, low-interest loans and other financial incentives are available from the state, counties and 11 municipalities for job creation within the biotech sector.

Bio companies in the Lehigh Valley ABEC Aesculap Alcan Packaging Applied Separations Arista Biologicals Aventis Pasteur B. Braun Biotech B. Braun Medical Bio Med Sciences Biocode Calcigen Corporation Digestive Care Entopath Fisher Scientific Svc Immuna Care Micro-Clean NPR Healthcare OraSure Technologies Serenix Pharmaceuticals Supercritical Solutions

        According to Ray Suhocki, President and COO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), a few of the Lehigh Valley's assets include:

• An ideal location central to the massive pharmaceutical corridor running from northern New Jersey to Philadelphia.
• Eleven colleges and universities active in life sciences education and ground- breaking research.
• A critical mass of existing biopharm and medical device companies that provide supplies, services and infrastructure.
• Nationally ranked hospitals involved in numerous drug protocols for cancer and infectious disease.
• A highly skilled and educated workforce, including a sub- stantial number of resident biotech and biopharm professionals.
• Competitive real estate prices with quality sites and facilities.
• Outstanding quality of life and affordable cost of living.

        "We chose to stay in the Lehigh Valley because we don't have to deal with the hustle and bustle of a major city, but it's close enough to easily make use of all the advantages of the metro areas. Within an hour and a half, we can be at nearly any of the major pharmaceutical companies in the world. For biotech contract manufacturers, the Valley is more ideally located than any other area – all of their customers are nearby. Plus it's a nice place to live," states James Wagner, President of Micro­Clean, Inc.
        Recent announcements of expansions and new companies into the Lehigh Valley include: Sharp Pharmaceuticals, B. Braun Biotech and Alcan Packaging.
        Sharp, which packages medicines for the pharmaceutical industry, plans to move its corporate headquarters from Conshohocken, near Philadelphia, to the Lehigh Valley. Factors cited by Sharp for the choice of location included proximity to major highways, the existing facility in Conshohocken and the pharmaceutical companies in the Northeast. The new plant will ultimately employ 300.

"The Lehigh Valley is in Pharma Alley, but without the high costs; it's close to major cities like New York and Philadelphia. There would not be any reservation to recommend Pennsylvania to other companies, biotech especially." — Duane Piechocki Sartorius- Parent company of B. Braun Biotech Sr. VP of Business Development

        B. Braun Biotech will begin adding workers after the company moves to a $6 million 85,000 sq. ft. plant in Bethlehem, early in 2004. The company designs and builds laboratory fermenters and other equipment for biotechnology companies. Incentives from Pennsylvania included up to $500,000 in grants, $900,000 in job-creation tax credits, $400,000 for job training and $925,000 in loans for machinery and equipment.
        Alcan Packaging of Montreal, another firm that packages pharmaceuticals, found that the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and its regional partners offered a great deal of assistance to find a new location. In this case, LVEDC worked to showcase the Lehigh Valley's exemplary workforce to Alcan, which cited the region's outstanding talent pool as a factor in its decision.
        For successful life sciences companies – the Lehigh Valley might be the right chemistry for your business.

| Top of Page | Cover | Letter to Editor | Site Selection Online | SiteNet |