CLEARFIELD – A delegation from the China Petroleum & Petrochemical Energy Institute of Beijing, China will visit Clearfield County on Sept. 23, reported Rob Swales, chief executive officer of Clearly Ahead Development, at Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting.
The CPPEI delegation’s visit is among the short-term impacts that have resulted from the county’s visit to Beijing and Lanling County, China, this past April. “We are continuing to work on numerous outreach efforts within China,” he said.
According to Swales, CPPEI represents numerous manufacturers in the petroleum, petrochemical and energy industry. It will be this Chinese delegation’s second visit to Clearfield County, and county’s third in-person meeting with CPPEI in the past 12 months.
“They are very interested in investment opportunities in central Pennsylvania, specifically in Clearfield County,” he said. “They want to know more about the Marcellus Shale activity and natural gas activity as a whole in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania and the United States.”
Representatives from seven, different companies will be a part of the CCPEI delegation, he said, and they will engage in discussions with local economic development officials as well as the county commissioners.
Representatives in the CCPEI delegation will also be taken to the Pennsylvania State University, State College, as part of its visit. “That’s a great resource to have,” said Commissioner Chairman John A. Sobel.
Another short-term impact from the county’s relationship with China, Swales said, was that a Chinese delegate and a local businessman were working on a partnership for the installation, distribution and service of a product used on equipment in the oil and gas industry.
“It’s manufactured elsewhere in the United States right now, but it’s a China-based company,” he said. “We want to keep those efforts moving forward, as well.”