JANUARY 2010

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Google Pittsburgh Expands Presence to New Mixed-Use Development, Hiring

Google Pittsburgh is leasing 40,000 SF at Bakery Square, the new mixed-use development in Pittsburgh's East End former Nabisco factory, and the company will be "aggressively hiring" to fill it. Google Pittsburgh, currently housed at Carnegie Mellon University's Collaborative Innovation Center, has grown from 2 engineers to 100 employees since 2005, all of whom will move to the new space. Why here? "It's one of the places in the world where the best computer scientists hang out," says engineering director Andrew Moore.

Andrew Moore elaborates on the why Pittsburgh is the right place for a world-class tech company like Google here (PDF file). Read more about Google's expansion

More Economic Development News

Unprecedented Regional Energy Alliance Forms, Includes $10M for Energy Start-Ups
The Pittsburgh region recently formed the Energy Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania – an unprecedented partnership of energy companies, supply chain providers and business, academic and government researchers dedicated to making Pittsburgh the North American energy leader and providing sustainable energy solutions to the world. "The virtual organization will set a strategy for regional energy industry growth and, through partner Innovation Works, will invest $10 million in energy-related start-ups in the region … The effort will be led by CEOs representing the seven sectors involved in the effort, from green building to nuclear energy, and joined by other partners." Read more

1000+ Jobs: Pittsburgh's EQT Corporation on the Frontlines of the Marcellus Shale Play
"Pittsburgh's EQT Corp. is positioning itself for a major share of the Marcellus Shale business, including company hiring potentially in the thousands. The largest natural gas exploration and production company in the Appalachian region and the 14th nationwide, EQT changed its name from Equitable Gas and expanded last March to 275,000 SF of space, 12 floors, at EQT Plaza on Liberty Avenue, formerly Dominion Tower. With the world's largest source of recoverable natural gas right at its doorstep, EQT hopes to maximize its opportunities despite the recent decline in the price of natural gas." Read More

PA Ranks No. 3 in Nation for Green Jobs
"PA was ranked third in the country for green jobs, and it's not hard to see why with companies like Pace Controls, Viridity Energy, Enginuity Energy, SRS Energy, E-Mon, and Komax Solar. Wind power is every bit as prevalent as solar, with Iberdrola Renewables, Gamesa and AES all undertaking significant wind power projects in the Keystone State." Read more

Westinghouse to Gets Share of $20B Nuclear Deal
The United Arab Emirates awarded a South Korean consortium, Korea Electric Power Corp., a $20 billion deal to build nuclear reactors. The deal for four 1,400-megawatt reactors is valued at least $20 billion. Japan's Toshiba Corp. and its Westinghouse subsidiary are part of the consortium. One billion dollars is expected to go to Westinghouse, headquartered in Cranberry, to provide major components, instrumentation and control equipment, and design technical and engineering support services, mostly from Westinghouse locations in Western Pennsylvania. Read more

75 New Jobs Expected After Dominion Peoples Sold
"A San Francisco-based private investment group is completing a $780 million purchase of a Pennsylvania natural gas operation from Dominion Resources, capping a buying process that began in July 2008 and bringing about 75 jobs to the area." Read more

Startup Tech 44 Receives $5M to Advance High Capacity Batteries, Hiring
Having recently received $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the private sector, Carnegie Mellon University spinoff, 44 Tech is advancing development of high-capacity batteries that can store power from the nation's electrical grid. The company is leasing 15,000 SF in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood and is currently hiring an initial staff of 10-15 employees. Read more

EcoClean Burners Locates Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Job Growth Expected
EcoClean Burners Inc. is using a South Korean technology through which industrial burners use discarded plastic as fuel. The company is establishing its headquarters and first distribution center in Pittsburgh's former Fort Pitt Brewery building in Sharpsburg. With six employees at present, the company plans to hire 50 people during the next few years. Read more

Exxon Mobil paves way to expand in Marcellus Shale with plan to buy XTO Energy
"In a deal that will expand Texas-based giant Exxon Mobil Corp.'s presence in the Marcellus Shale [natural gas play], the company [recently] announced that it will buy fellow Texas energy company XTO Energy Inc. for $41 billion." Read more

A Bright Future for Regional Wind Energy Manufacturing Industry
"With [several wind farms] in the state, 50 companies in the existing the supply chain and $650 million available to expand the alternative fuel and clean energy sector," opportunities abound to enter the regional wind energy manufacturing industry. This topic attracted a packed house to Robert Morris University last month for the Wind Power & Supply Chain Workshop. "Companies in the region considering wind supply chain manufacturing opportunities include: Converteam Inc., Eaton Corp., Everpower Renewables, Holtec Manufacturing, Kennametal Inc., Pennsylvania Breaker, PPG Industries and Tetra Tech." Read more | View the Pittsburgh region Wind Energy fact sheet (PDF file)

25 Jobs at Ad Agency Brunner Inc.
"Brunner, Inc., the second largest ad agency in Pittsburgh, is ramping up the new year with the hiring of 25 people at its downtown headquarters. CEO Michael Brunner credited much of the growth to the firm's new integrated approach that marries marketing and technology." Read more

Law Office Burns White & Hickton Add Two New Offices
"Burns, White & Hickton LLC, Pittsburgh's tenth-largest law firm, opened two new offices late last month, in Harrisburg, and in Cherry Hill, N.J., bringing its total number of sites to eight." Read more

Financial Times' Mag fDi Highlights Pittsburgh Regional Energy Strengths
The Dec. 09/Jan. 10 issue of fDi, the globally respected Financial Times publication, focuses on renewable energy and global energy investment topics. In addition to featuring the four-page supplement "Pittsburgh:  Energizing the 21st Century Economy," it also explores the Pittsburgh region's successful transformation and its unique strengths and opportunities related to the energy industry in a "Game Changing" interview with Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Affiliates CEO Dennis Yablonsky. (PDF file)

Pittsburgh Region Predicted to Again Buck National Real Estate Trends
"Pittsburgh has staved off the worst of the recession better than most other cities, and 2010 should be no exception, according to Grubb & Ellis Co. In a recently released 2010 forecast, the real estate services and investment firm sees another gloomy year for commercial real estate and office markets nationally… but at the same time predicts that the Pittsburgh region will continue to defy national trends. It said more space was being occupied than vacated in most sectors, and that vacancy rates in Pittsburgh have stayed below national averages during the recession. It expects both trends to continue this year." Read more

Trend: Pittsburgh Attracts Headquarters Operations with Low Operating Costs, Quality Workforce
"Pittsburgh is attracting mid-size corporate and regional headquarters, reversing a trend of past decades that saw the city lose companies to other parts of the country, experts say. Most companies select Pittsburgh because it's cheaper to operate here, and because employees are smart and have a strong work ethic, said John Boyd Jr., vice president of the Boyd Co. Inc. of Princeton, N.J., a corporate location consultant." Read more

Dennis Burnside on "Why Pittsburgh Matters"
Economic Development expert Dennis Burnside blogs: "Pittsburgh is a great place for many reasons, but Pittsburgh's downtown is dense, active, safe, and populated with all types of business that allow people to work, live, worship, and recreate … That helps explain why companies are attracted to Southwestern Pennsylvania … Pittsburghers have learned it seems to put their differences and egos aside for the better good. There is a private/public partnership in place with a plan and the plan is being executed." Read more

Six Super Bowls, "No. 1s" from CNN & Forbes, Plus G-20: Pittsburgh's 2009 Championship Roles
Following its sixth Super Bowl victory, " Pittsburgh was the hot spot for a variety of lists and rankings – CNN called it a best place to launch a business, Forbes ranked its housing market among the nation's top 25 and its job market the sixth-fastest growing nationally, and the Institute for America's Future highlighted Pittsburgh as a model for modern manufacturing." And then there was hosting the G-20 Summit … Read more

Pittsburgh is Nation's 4th Most Literate City
"Pittsburgh ranks among the most literate cities in the U.S., according to a recent study by Central Connecticut State University. The report scored cities of 250,000 people or more against several indicators, including education level, Internet use, newspaper circulation, number of booksellers, library services and local publications. Pittsburgh was fourth in 2009, up from its 2008 rank of No. 12. Philadelphia also made the list, but ranked 32nd, down from 28th a year earlier." Read more

Pittsburgh a Top 10 City to Seek a Managerial Job
"The CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment index ranked Pittsburgh ninth among the best cities in which to find a managerial job in December, according to a survey conducted by a California job search company … The top three among 30 major metro areas were Washington, D.C., followed by Boston and San Francisco." Read more

Eaton Dedicated to Saving Resources and Money through Sustainable Practices
"Eaton, long recognized as a traditional industrial company that makes electrical and power systems, has a green theme … last year it completed a $24 million expansion of the facility in the Cherrington office center and it earned a gold level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The company has realized energy savings of 30% since the building expansion was completed." Read more

In Pittsburgh: Nationwide Mylan Classic Golf Tour
"The PGA TOUR's Nationwide Tour and Mylan Inc. [a Fortune 1,000 company headquartered in the Pittsburgh region] recently announced that a new Nationwide Tour event, the Mylan Classic, will be played at Southpointe Golf Club in the Pittsburgh suburb of Canonsburg beginning in 2010. The 72-hole stroke-play event will be played Sept. 2-5 and feature 156 players from 19 countries competing for a purse of $600,000." Read more | Press Kit (PDF file)

Human Trials for Blood-Oxygenating Device from Pittsburgh's ALung
South Side company ALung Technologies Inc. is closing in commercializing its Hemolung respiratory assist device. "If all goes well, ALung could be selling Hemolung to hospitals throughout Europe a year from now, and in the United States by late 2012. The Hemolung does for patients with chronic respiratory problems what hemodialysis does for patients with kidney disease, intervening to support a patient through a possibly life-threatening infection without the need for a ventilator." Read more

EVENTS

Wednesday, January 13 – Green Chemistry Roundtable Series: Session #1: Preventing Pollution By Design
How can green chemistry propel southwestern Pennsylvania's manufacturing business to become economically more sustainable? This question, the growing field of Green Chemistry and the opportunities and challenges facing our region will be addressed during the 2010 Green Chemistry Roundtable series, co-presented by the Champions of Sustainability and the Rachel Carson Homestead Association. Guest speaker for Session #1: John R. Ehrenfeld, author of Sustainability By Design. From 7:20-10 a.m. at Alcoa Corporate Center. Cost: $30

Tuesday, January 19 – Manufacturers: Explore the Floor @ Universal Electric Corporation
Join the Pittsburgh Technology Council for a tour of its Universal Electric Corporation at this next installment of the Explore the Floor Series from 8:15 - 10:30 a.m. The 2009 Tech 50 Advanced Manufacturing Category Winner boasts of more than 85 years of family-owned business experience. Universal Electric offers its customers flexible power solutions through their U-S Safety Trolley and their Starline Track Busway divisions. Both lines are custom-made to suit their clients' needs. Cost, $45 Member/$175 Non-Member. Open to manufacturers only.

Thursday, January 28 – Breakfast Briefing Featuring Nicholas J. DeIuliis of CONSOL Energy Inc. (scroll down)
Join Nicholas J. DeIuliis, Executive Vice President and COO, as he provides an overview of the company including its unique perspective as both a coal and natural gas producer. CONSOL Energy also maintains the largest private research and development facility in the industry that is devoted exclusively to coal and energy utilization and production. Presented by the Pittsburgh Technology Council from 7-9:30 a.m. at the Rivers Club in Downtown Pittsburgh. Cost: Cost, $40 Member/$175 Non-Member.

Wednesday, February 10 – Urban Land Institute (ULI) "An Evening with Tom Murphy" (scroll down on home page)
This evening with the former Pittsburgh Mayor turned resident fellow of the Urban Land Institute includes a special reception and presentation at Cioppino. ULI Pittsburgh members and special guests will have an opportunity to tour 2009 Award of Excellence: America's winner CORK FACTORY in the Strip District and celebrate their 2009 honor with Dan McCaffrey.

Sign up now – Export Now Trade Mission to Brazil April 2010 (PDF file)
FirstEnergy Corporation's Economic Development Department is pleased to announce that our Export Now Program will take part in the U.S. Department of Commerce's Trade Winds Americas Forum, scheduled for April 25-30, 2010, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. As an official U.S. Department of Commerce multi-sector trade mission, this Trade Winds event offers participants a unique venue for connecting to business opportunities across the Americas. Businesses selected to may receive up to $1,500 from FirstEnergy to offset associated costs. Participation in this event is limited; a pool of candidates will selected by mid-January, so contact FirstEnergy now.