By Tom MacDonald

– Is manufacturing being squeezed out of Philadelphia? One member of city council wants hearings on the issue.

City Councilman Bobby Henon says he worries that industrial land is being gobbled up by shopping plazas. He’s calling for hearings to ensure there’s a home for modern manufacturing in Philadelphia.

“It’s a different type of manufacturing, it’s a different type of industry,” he said. “It’s high tech it’s advanced manufacturing computer numbering and simulation machines. So we as a as a marketing tool need to tell businesses and show them that we have the land and we’re preserving the land for you.”

Henon says luring the Dietz and Watson plant back from New Jersey to Philadelphia is a recent example of a success.

“We have legacy industry businesses that are here in the city we want them to grow and we also want to send a message that land preservation is important as a marketing tool to attract more companies to come here in the city.”

He says keeping a home for manufacturing is vital since those jobs often pay more than service-sector ones.

Source: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/73511-manufacturing-hearings-in-philadelphia-city-council-?linktype=hp_impact