The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission’s (North Central) Board of Directors approved publishing a Request for Proposals focused on the EDA Tech Hub Strategy Development Grant the commission was awarded in 2023 during Wednesday’s monthly meeting.

The North Central Pressed Materials Strategy Development Consortium was created through a $400,000 Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. North Central is seeking a highly qualified consultant with expertise in the pressed materials industry with a strong focus on economic development to develop a cutting-edge and transformative 10-year Implementation Plan aimed at scaling the entire pressed materials ecosystem in the six-county region.

The consortium was created to work with the powder metallurgy industry in the six-county region. Its goal is to make the region a global leader in pressed materials, driving innovation, advancing technology, and developing a top-tier workforce to boost the local economy.

Community Development/Regional Planning Director Amy Kessler for North Central and Workforce Solutions for North Central PA Executive Director Pam Streich discussed the proposal with the board.

“We put in a lot of effort collaborating with various consortium organizations and industry partners to develop this Request for Proposals,” Kessler and Streich told the board. “We also received positive feedback from the EDA on the proposal.”

Streich said the request was very challenging to put together.

“We were happy to be able to provide information related to the ecosystem of the workforce and how we can bring that into this initiative,” Streich said. “We are looking forward to the partnership for sure.”

Board member Abby Peters made a motion to approve sending out the Request for Proposals, which was quickly seconded by Jodi Brennan. The measure was unanimously approved. The deadline to receive consultant proposals is Sept. 15. The consortium plans to select the winning proposal by Oct. 1.

North Central Loan Program Director Jennifer Hibbard presented one loan recommendation from the Loan Review Committee to the board for approval. Earthmovers Unlimited Inc. and Earthmovers Equipment Co., based in Kylertown in Clearfield County, applied for a $160,000 loan through North Central’s EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

“The company does mine reclamation, site excavation, demolition, and heavy equipment hauling and will be using the loan funds to purchase various equipment that is needed to expand capacity and production to perform work for contracts awarded for reclamation projects,” Hibbard said.

The repayment term was set at five years and 4-percent interest. The company is also utilizing $160,000 in financing from the Clearfield Industrial Development Authority and $178,000 in financing from AmeriServ Bank for the project. The company currently has 52 employees and will create 10 jobs over the next three years.

Board member Carol Duffy made a motion to approve the loan, with board member Jim Sleigh seconding the motion before gaining full board approval.

The board also approved the fiscal year 2025 budget. The budget showed a slight increase, Executive Director Jim Chorney said, mainly due to rising health care costs. The budget shows income at $5.6 million and expenditures of $5.5 million.

The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission is a premier regional development organization that serves the public and private sector through a wide range of economic, community, infrastructure, human services, and technology programs for Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter Counties.

Contact:  Brent Addleman:  814-773-3162, ext. 3060