PENNSYLVANIA · NAICS 31-33
Pennsylvania manufacturing projects run from Hatboro device plants to Berks and Lehigh fabrication shops, with the fiscal 2026 program economics, fee waivers and the $5.5 million debenture, sitting on top of PIDA's low-interest second-mortgage stacking. Studies translate capacity, throughput, contract concentration, and labor models into projections, and reconcile real estate and equipment structures against coverage.
FEASIBILITY TRIGGER
Fiscal 2026 gives manufacturers the strongest program economics, with 7(a) fees waived on loans up to $950,000, 504 fees waived entirely, and a $5.5 million debenture, and Pennsylvania adds PIDA stacking behind the 504.
SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders funded 2,050 manufacturing projects across Pennsylvania between FY2010 and FY2026, moving $1.35 billion in approved capital at an average ticket of $657,000. That volume places Pennsylvania at #10 of 38 states measured for manufacturing SBA activity, or 3.4% of national manufacturing dollars. The 7(a) program carried 90.8% of the loan count, with 504 taking the balance, and 271 approvals have hit the pipeline since FY2024.
| Disbursed loans (FY2010–FY2026) | 2,050 |
| Approved volume | $1.35 billion |
| Average loan size | $657,000 |
| 7(a) share | 90.8% |
| Approvals since FY2024 | 271 |
| State rank by loan count | #10 of 38 |
Among the 1,566 seasoned loans in this segment (approvals FY2010–FY2021), 8.7% reached adverse resolution — purchased, liquidated, or charged off. The national benchmark for manufacturing is 6.6%, against 7.3% across all industries. That performance runs above the national benchmark for this asset class, which is a factor lenders weigh in their credit decision.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan-level data, as of March 31, 2026. Disbursed loans only. See data methodology.
A 8.7% adverse-resolution rate against the national manufacturing benchmark of 6.6% tells credit committees to scrutinize revenue projections and coverage assumptions closely on Pennsylvania deals in this class. A rigorous third-party feasibility study — built on documented demand, defensible pricing, and stressed coverage — carries meaningful weight in that underwriting conversation, particularly at an average loan size of $657,000 across 2,050 loans.
Every Pennsylvania manufacturing project we underwrite follows the same lender ready process: independent market analysis, site and technical review, and financial projections tested against SBA SOP 50 10 8 standards. Our SBA feasibility study consultants guide explains scope, timing, deliverables, and what lenders and CDCs expect in the report.
Pennsylvania projects most often pencil under SBA 504 because the 50/40/10 structure delivers up to 90 percent financing on owner-occupied real estate at a fixed debenture rate, and PIDA's low-interest second-mortgage loans stack directly behind the 504. SBA 7(a) covers acquisitions, working capital, and equipment, and from July 4, 2026 eligible borrowers can combine 7(a) and 504 for up to $10 million in total program credit.
Pennsylvania manufacturers stack 504 structures with PIDA, as a 2023 frozen pretzel manufacturer demonstrated with a $400,000 PIDA loan inside a $3.4 million project alongside an SBA 504.
For a national view of this asset class, see our manufacturing SBA feasibility overview, and read our related analysis in the manufacturing lending research on our blog.
Compare neighboring markets: Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas.
Public SBA and CDC program records, cited as program evidence
Seedcopa-documented SBA 504 of $5,138,000 within a $15,320,000 project with Fulton Bank
Fiscal 2024 Seedcopa-documented financing
Hatboro, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Seedcopa-documented SBA 504 of $511,000 within a $1,437,000 project with Customers Bank
Fiscal 2024 Seedcopa-documented financing
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Seedcopa-documented SBA 504 of $558,000 within a $1,546,000 project with Peoples Security Bank
Fiscal 2024 Seedcopa-documented financing
Northampton, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
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