The PA Chamber has helped lead several recent pro-business policy wins, and as a result, Pennsylvania continues to see strong momentum and historic investments. Global employers are now choosing the Commonwealth for major, job-creating projects, benefiting businesses and communities of all sizes.
Last week, PA Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein attended Investor Member Johnson & Johnson’s announcement of a more than $1 billion investment in Montgomery County to construct and operate a next‑generation cell therapy manufacturing facility. The new site will expand the company’s U.S. manufacturing capacity while advancing transformational medicines for cancer, immune‑mediated, and neurological diseases.
Beyond its life‑changing medical impact, the project is a major economic win for Pennsylvania. Construction of the facility will support more than 4,000 local jobs. Once fully operational, Johnson & Johnson will employ over 500 highly skilled biomanufacturing professionals, creating long‑term, high-skilled career opportunities and demand throughout the region’s supply chain.
“This announcement builds on recent momentum, including Eli Lilly’s $3.5 billion commitment in the Lehigh Valley, and reinforces that when Pennsylvania advances smart, pro‑growth policies, employers respond with real investment,” Bernstein said at the announcement. “Pro‑growth tax reforms and meaningful permitting improvements are making our state more competitive for large‑scale, transformative projects.”
The PA Chamber’s role in fostering a more competitive business climate was highlighted during last week’s press conference, where Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council President Rob Bair both praised the Chamber’s leadership on policies that are driving Pennsylvania’s economic momentum forward.
“We want to thank Luke Bernstein, who leads our Pennsylvania Chamber … we went from being 48th in the nation in permitting times to literally now being the national model in permitting times. I appreciate the work the Chamber has done with us on that,” Gov. Shapiro said.
Bair echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how business and labor have come to the table on issues that are making the Commonwealth more competitive.
“I have to give a shoutout to my partner, Luke Bernstein,” Bair said. “Twenty years ago, you did not see the president of the building trades and the president of the PA Chamber having lunch together, working together on economic policy, working together on workforce development…And at the end of the day, when Luke and I sit down…we want a thriving Pennsylvania. We want a good business climate. We want businesses to come here and create good paying careers.”