Date: 18 March 2002
Ashahi, TYK and Sekisui currently support nearly 1,700 jobs in Pennsylvania.During his Tokyo visit, the Governor met with eight Japanese firms, which together support a combined total of 7,000 jobs.
The Governor's visit, which followed his six-day trade mission to Australia, emphasized maintaining and building relationships with the Japanese firms to retain and grow their investments in Pennsylvania. Joining Gov. Schweiker was Community and Economic Development Secretary Sam McCullough.
"Asahi, TYK and Sekisui all currently have operations in Pennsylvania," Gov. Schweiker said. "During today's meetings, we discussed the companies' investments in Pennsylvania, and explored how our Commonwealth can assist in any potential expansion projects that could result in more good-paying jobs for Pennsylvanians.
"As our visit to Japan and our trade mission to Australia conclude, I am pleased to assert that our efforts to build and maintain important international business relationships will carry on. We will continue to seek investment and export opportunities abroad. Pennsylvania's potential in the world market is tremendous -- and that's more evident than ever to the prospective investors and customers we visited during these last several days.
"Immediate results are neither the expectation nor purpose of these overseas pursuits, but Pennsylvania will certainly be in the forefront of these companies' minds as they consider where to plant seeds for expansion. I am confident that Pennsylvania will continue to be a global competitor, thanks in large part to our trade-development and foreign-investment activities."
Asahi employs more than 1,500 workers in Pennsylvania. Asahi manufactures glass products for a variety of industries, ranging from high-tech to construction, and has substantial investments in Pennsylvania, including a manufacturing facility in Downingtown, Chester County, and joint venture operations with Sony Corp. and Corning Inc.
Asahi's joint venture with Corning, Corning Asahi Video (CAV) located in State College, Centre County, is a leading manufacturer of optically pure and mechanically precise panels and funnels for large-screen television tubes for customers such as Phillips, Thomson, Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba. The company employs more than 800 people at the State College facility.
Asahi's joint venture with Sony, American Video Glass, is located adjacent to Sony's facility in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County. The facility manufactures glass for the televisions Sony produces in Pennsylvania, employing approximately 700 people.
Following the meeting with Asahi, Gov. Schweiker visited representatives of TYK. The firm is recognized worldwide for the development of new refractory materials and processes.
"TYK has made a real commitment to Pennsylvania," Gov. Schweiker said. "The firm has two U.S. facilities -- and both are located in our Commonwealth. On this visit, we send the message to TYK that we welcome their continued investments in our state."
TYK Refractories, a wholly owned subsidiary of TYK Corp., has plants in Large, Allegheny County, and Irvona, Blair County.
These facilities support a combined total of 60 jobs in Pennsylvania.
Gov. Schweiker then met with executives from Sekisui. Sekisui's U.S. operations include Sekisui Products, Voltek, STA, IFTC, and Kleerdex Co. The Kleerdex manufacturing plant, which specializes in the production of thermoplastic sheet products and compounds for the production of high-performance components, is located in Bloomsburg, Columbia County. The facility employs about 80 people.
On his six-day trade mission to Australia, Gov. Schweiker led a delegation of 15 Pennsylvania employers and organizations from across the state to showcase their products and services in the industries of information technology, telecommunications, energy, environmental products, transportation equipment and biotechnology.
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