Industry in St. Marys
a legacy of knowledge and skill

Lumbering, tanning, and agriculture flourished in St. Marys in the 1870's but began to decline around the turn of the century. At the same time, however, the establishment of the Speer Carbon Company gave the area's carbon/graphite industry its start.

Carbon Capital of the World
By 1940, Stackpole Carbon Company, Keystone Carbon Company, Pure Carbon Company, and St. Marys Carbon Company were also successfully manufacturing carbon/graphite products. St. Marys was on the cutting edge of carbon/graphite manufacturing and was aptly called the "Carbon Capital of the World".

With the advent of WWII, manufacturing materials for the carbon industry were strictly controlled by the War Production Board. Many carbon products developed in St. Marys, such as the high altitude brush by Stackpole Carbon Company, played key roles in the war effort.

The birth of Powder Metallurgy
Many of the processes and technologies developed in the St. Marys carbon industry were readily applicable to the evolution of the powdered metal parts industry that began in the post-war period.

Today about 40% of the world's powdered metal parts are produced in north central Pennsylvania for applications in the automotive industry, lawn and garden products, home appliances, and more. Approximately 56 powder metallurgy manufacturing firms provide employment for over 10,000 people. Many of these manufacturers can trace their roots to St. Marys industry. The region is now known as the "Powdered Metal Capital of the World."

As powder metallurgy part manufacturers flourished, related businesses have kept pace. Machine shops produce tools necessary to press parts and perform secondary operations such as heat treating and plating. Both powder metal warehousing and recycling companies are located in the region to provide the necessary raw materials. Pennsylvania has the largest sales volume of both metal powder and manufactured parts in the US powder metal market.

Diverse Industrial Opportunities
Today the St. Marys area offers diverse industrial opportunities.

OSRAM Sylvania is the largest manufacturer (based on volume) of incandescent lamps in the world. At their St. Marys facility they can produce up to two million lamps per day and 500 million lamps per year. Their product line includes 1,700 different lamp types for use in homes and industry.

Straub Brewery, a family-owned macro-brewery, was founded in 1872 by German immigrant Peter Straub. Today the brewery operates at near capacity of 40,000 barrels annually, with two products, Straub Beer and Straub Light. The brewery is a popular tourist attraction and conducts tours of their facility weekday mornings.

MexAmerica Foods manufactures enriched flour, whole wheat flour, and corn tortillas as well as Mexican dinner kits and tortilla chips for both the retail and restaurant trade. Their products are distributed to more than a dozen surrounding states.