Pennsylvania Plastics Manufacturing & Innovation
Pennsylvania Manufacturing Depends on Plastic
From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, manufacturers rely on high-tech materials—especially plastic—to drive jobs, innovation, and progress.
Plastic’s Role in Pennsylvania’s Economy
Pennsylvania-made
Pennsylvania is a national leader in plastics—thousands of in-state workers, billions in shipments, and $2.7 billion in annual wages that contribute to strong local communities.
Plastic = Innovation
Made-in-Pennsylvania Industries Rely on Plastic
Pennsylvania’s economic output helps power a stronger U.S. manufacturing base—and plastics enable it.
Food Production/Manufacturing
Lightweight, protective plastic packaging helps PA’s iconic food brands cut waste and deliver safely from farm to shelf.
PA is the 4th-largest producer of food products in the U.S.
Aerospace & Defense
From space suits to aircraft windows and fuselages, durable plastics and composites are essential across NASA, military and commercial aviation.
PA aerospace/defense supports ~43,000 jobs and nearly $20 billion in output.
Life Sciences
Sterile plastics are foundational to labs, medical devices, smart packaging, and implants.
PA has 3,000+ life sciences companies; Philadelphia is the 4th-largest U.S. life sciences market.
Pennsylvania Jobs & Workforce — People Powering Progress
Pennsylvania’s manufacturing success depends on innovation—and on people. Engineers, technicians, and scientists are rethinking how plastics are made, used, and remade—strengthening industries and communities statewide. Plastics don’t just power products; they power Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy. The numbers tell the story:
563,000 employees in manufacturing statewide
$263 billion in goods shipped annually
10% of state jobs are in manufacturing
Did you know: Michigan has more engineers per capita than any other state. Many are helping transform plastic into products for national defense, healthcare, energy, and more.
Get to know a few people helping strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and innovating for more sustainable plastics industry.
Fran, Nurse Practitioner at Braskem — Cares for hundreds of colleagues who make materials that help protect medical professionals.
Kerry, Senior Technical Service Representative at Covestro — Works with machinery that helps cut energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in everyday products.
Karen, Automotive Marketing Manager at Covestro — Partners with automakers and suppliers to advance circularity in cars.
Pennsylvania Recycling Innovation= Jobs
U.S. plastic makers—including Pennsylvanians—are investing billions in advanced recycling. These technologies turn used plastic back into valuable raw materials, helping recycle more of the ~90% of plastics not recycled today, creating jobs, and reducing landfill waste. But we need Congress to do its part to pave the way.
Send a letter to Washington urging support for plastic recycling innovation. 
American Chemistry Council, Inc.
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