The Pittsburgh region is a national leader in advanced manufacturing, combining a strong industrial foundation with cutting-edge innovation. Companies locate here to access advanced materials expertise, engineering talent, and a growing ecosystem of smart manufacturing technologies.
Today’s manufacturing sector in Pittsburgh spans advanced materials, additive manufacturing, robotics integration, coatings, chemicals, and next-generation metals—supporting both established global companies and emerging innovators.
Pittsburgh’s manufacturing legacy continues to evolve through strategic investment and commercialization. The region was awarded a $62.7 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to accelerate the adoption of robotics and automation across manufacturing and other key industries. This investment is strengthening the region’s position as a hub for modern, technology-driven production.
Leading manufacturers, including Coherent, Eos Energy Enterprises, U.S. Steel, and Wabtec, operate in the Pittsburgh region, supported by a highly connected supply chain and access to national and global markets. Companies benefit from proximity to customers and suppliers, as well as efficient transportation and logistics infrastructure.
A key advantage for advanced manufacturing companies in Pittsburgh is access to a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. The region’s talent pipeline is driven by more than 70 colleges and universities, producing graduates with expertise in engineering, robotics, materials science, and industrial operations.
With a proven manufacturing base, strong innovation ecosystem, and the infrastructure to support growth, Pittsburgh offers a competitive environment for companies building the future of advanced manufacturing.
2,800 +
manufacturing companies
91,100+
employment
$8.5 B
capital investment
(2012-22)
r&d ECOSYSTEM
Kraft Heinz Innovation Center
Located in the northern suburb of Warrendale, the Kraft Heinz Company has a 43,000 SF facility where it focuses on research and development and quality assurance for its food products.
PPG Research & Development Center
Located in the Allison Park suburb of Pittsburgh, the PPG Research & Development Center is the company’s primary research and development facility for paint and coatings. The facility creates and tests sealants, adhesives and pretreatment solutions for everything from cars and trucks to consumer electronics and heavy machinery.
Shell Polymers Innovation Center
The Shell Polymers Innovation Center in Beaver County is an 85,000 SF facility with analytical and testing labs and an applications hall for polymers research. The facility includes three different employee teams: laboratory and analytical staff, a technical services team and a technology team.
U.S. Steel Research & Technology Center
At U.S. Steel’s Research & Technology Center in Munhall, the company tests and creates new batches of steel at a smaller scale. Academic scientists, leading steel industry experts and U.S. Steel’s customers work together to apply advanced technology to drive product development and production.
PITTSBURGH’S Manufacturing TALENT
2,600+
engineering grads (2021-2022)
370+
trade program grads (2021-2022)
2.16
location quotient for materials manufacturing employment
Workforce Training Centers
Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC)’s West Hills Center
The West Hills Center is a premier training facility for skilled and technical trades careers. It houses CCAC’s advanced manufacturing and automation degrees with its signature Mechatronics lab, robotics, and mechanical and electrical trainers.
Community College of Beaver County (CCBC)’s Shell Center for Process Technology
CCBC designed the Process Technology Associate in Applied Science program to prepare students for high-demand careers as process technicians or to further their education towards a four-year degree in engineering or management.
Westmoreland County Community College’s Advanced Technology Center
The center provides hands-on learning opportunities for Westmoreland County Community College students and incumbent workers in high-demand, technically oriented careers in manufacturing, energy and other industry sectors
EcoSystem Support
The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute
The ARM Institute, an independent nonprofit founded by Carnegie Mellon University, accelerates the development and adoption of innovative robotics technologies. Its network of industry, academia and government partners strives to make robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomy more accessible to both large and small manufacturers.
Catalyst Connection
Part of the Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center Network, this private, not-for-profit group offers events, webinars, workshops, conferences and other opportunities to the region’s manufacturing community. From navigating supply chain challenges to accessing grants, its goal is to help manufacturers respond to changing markets, new technology and the competitive pressures of the global economy.
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) – Pittsburgh
NETL focuses on applied research for the clean production and use of domestic energy resources, helping to reduce the carbon emissions of manufacturers. This facility is one of only five American facilities supporting the Department of Energy with transformative science and technology solutions.
University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering
The Swanson School of Engineering has attracted $6M in grants over the last decade. It’s also home to the ANSYS Additive Manufacturing Research Lab, which provides access to several machines and services to Pitt faculty and research partners. The lab develops advanced tools for customers in this era of additive manufacturing, with a focus on metal, polymer and composite materials.
Global Connections
Startup Genome, a global leader in ecosystem research, spotlights the Pittsburgh startup ecosystem as part of its network of 290+ ecosystems worldwide. Pittsburgh is ranked 23rd nationally and 31st globally in the top emerging ecosystems, with its advanced manufacturing/robotics, life sciences and space tech sectors recognized. Pittsburgh has also notably experienced 42.6% growth in ecosystem value, per Startup Genome.
MANUFACTURING COMPANY SUCCESS STORIES
Re:Build Manufacturing
Re:Build Manufacturing is opening a 175,000 SF manufacturing hub that will be a future-forward facility for fabrication, manufacturing, and integration and assembly projects in high-growth, innovation-driven industries that include energy, life sciences, robotics, aerospace and more.
Shell
Shell Polymers Monaca is a petrochemical complex in Beaver County that produces polyethylene pellets used to create products that we see and use every day. The complex is the largest “from-the-ground-up” facility investment in the Pittsburgh region in a generation and the first major U.S. project of its type to be built outside the Gulf Coast region in 20 years.
BCI Nextracker
Occupying a former steel plant in the Pittsburgh region, BCI Steel Co. and Nextracker Inc. joined forces to produce solar tracker equipment for large-scale solar power plants. The components they are creating for the solar industry will combat climate change, increase energy independence and bring back manufacturing jobs from overseas.
Krystal Biotech
Krystal Biotech is a gene therapy company that uses its proprietary Skin TARgeted Delivery (STAR-D) platform to develop and commercialize treatments for rare dermatological diseases. Most notably, Krystal developed the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.
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