The two share a strong industrial heritage routed in steel and coal, and in more recent years have both diversified their economies into other areas, including advanced manufacturing, health and medical technology. Both cities are also home to major universities with world-leading research capabilities.
Last summer, the Mayor of South Yorkshire and a delegation from the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) visited the city on a mission to boost investment and create jobs for the region. The AMRC also used the trip to meet with local businesses and explore tech development.
Now, Sheffield City Council Leader, Cllr Tom Hunt, and Chief Executive, Kate Josephs, along with a handful of Sheffield-based businesses, are travelling to Pittsburgh to continue building meaningful and fruitful relationships and to open lines of opportunity to work together in the future.
They will meet with city officials and a range of organisations and businesses from the biological and advanced manufacturing, health, medical tech and robotics sectors, plus many more.
“Sheffield is global, green and growing. We have world-leading strengths in many sectors, from advanced manufacturing to health technology, cultural industries and low carbon, resilient energy. This week we will share our knowledge and best practice with our friends in Pittsburgh.
“As sister cities, Sheffield and Pittsburgh share a similar industrial past, but we have both seen our economies transform in recent decades. We both have big ambitions for our future and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can learn from one another and achieve together”
Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council
“We have an opportunity on this visit to learn from one another on some of the big issues facing cities across the globe. Whether this is around affordable housing, environmental issues or resilience.
“I am delighted we are honouring our Sister City relationship on this trip, and I am confident that this relationship will only grow and flourish from this visit, for the benefit of both Sheffield’s residents and also the people of Pittsburgh.”
Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council
Arriving in Pittsburgh on Tuesday 28 January, Cllr Hunt and Kate Josephs will undertake a packed schedule. Visiting and meeting with more than 16 organisations and around 50 representatives in total, from government officials to businesses and academia, during the brief three-day trip.
They’ll also be joined on the trip by representatives from Sheffield-based businesses Tickets for Good, Westfield Health and Reach Studios.
During the visit, they will be meeting Deputy Mayor of Pittsburgh, Jake Pawlak as well as the Allegheny County Executive, Sarah Innamorato, who is the highest elected official in the County. They’ll be discussing the similar challenges faced by the two cities, from housing affordability to environmental issues.
They’ll also take part in a roundtable with city of Pittsburgh officials to discuss important issues and also areas of strength where knowledge can be shared. This includes addressing homelessness, city regeneration, sustainability and resilience.
The trip will also explore the priorities set out in the recently adopted Sheffield Growth Plan – a ten-year plan to drive economic growth and improve the lives of people living, working and doing business in the city.
The Plan highlights the importance of Sheffield taking its place as a city that is ‘Global, Green and Growing’ and focuses on leveraging the city's strong economic assets, including its world-class universities, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and innovation ecosystem, to attract global investment, promote economic growth, and enhance Sheffield's reputation on the international stage.
To achieve this, collaboration with global partners and support for new businesses with international potential is key.
Sheffield is already home to groundbreaking initiatives like the world's first Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, which is a catalyst for innovation led manufacturing across the Sheffield City Region and Northern Powerhouse, the UK's first Investment Zone which is being delivered in partnership with the Mayoral Combined Authority and the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
But as Pittsburgh is another city with strengths in advanced manufacturing, health tech and life sciences sectors, the delegation will be visiting and touring facilities including Carnegie Robotics, Holtec International, Pittsburgh Chilled Water Plant, the Energy Innovation Centre and the Suburban General Hospital, to see first-hand how things operate and cultivate relationships.
Officials will also meet with representatives from the likes of Pitt Bioforge, the Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance and more.
Like Sheffield, Pittsburgh also has a vibrant cultural, food and sport scene, and to recognise the importance of culture to both cities, Sheffield representatives will be meeting with the team from Visit Pittsburgh and calling in at the Benedum Centre for the Performing Arts, the award-winning production of ‘Life of Pi’, which had it’s world debut in Sheffield in 2019, is currently being performed.