The world may still be dealing with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t hurt economic growth in the Lehigh Valley. 

Gov. Tom Wolf said today an Australian manufacturer will create 130 new jobs at its first U.S. facility in Allentown. 

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. is moving into the former Bethlehem Club on North New Street in Bethlehem. 

With years of work in economic development under his belt, Allentown’s new mayor, Matt Tuerk, knows there’s a lot more to the job than being the city’s cheerleader if he wants to attract business and investment to the area. 

Manufacturing output in the Lehigh Valley launched the region into a Top 50 manufacturing market in the U.S. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The strength of the Lehigh Valley’s multi-family housing and apartment market has caught the attention of CoStar, the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces.

President Joe Biden stumped for his infrastructure plan at one of the Lehigh Valley’s signature manufacturing companies – Mack Trucks, -- telling more than 100 workers, dignitaries and residents that it will create good-paying jobs for American workers like them.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation was chosen by SelectUSA to be part of a competitive research program based on its success in bringing investment from foreign countries into the valley.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, growth in the e-commerce, logistics and transportation industries, which were already booming in the Lehigh Valley, has gone full tilt.

Don Cunningham, president and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., said the region had a record-breaking GDP of $43.3 billion in 2019. That’s 5.7% over 2018 and the Lehigh Valley outpaced Pennsylvania’s growth of 4%.