Ebara Solar currently employs nearly 80 workers at its Rostraver Township headquarters, 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The firm has committed to a 42,500-sf expansion to its solar energy plant there. Ebara's operation in Rostraver Township is a silicon crystal growth center with advanced solar cell processing equipment. It is the only facility of its kind in the commonwealth.

Ebara will chip in $16 million for the three-year expansion project, while the commonwealth will contribute $143,000 through a grant and tax credits, according to a spokesman for the governor. The project is expected to create at least 43 new jobs.

"We visit Ebara in Tokyo today not only to look after our relationship with the firm, but because we want to broaden it," Schweiker said in a speech yesterday. "Do we have the real estate and workforce talent for more of Ebara's high-tech manufacturing jobs? Absolutely. We're here to make sure the company knows that opportunities abound in Pennsylvania, and that the door to furthering our economic partnership will be wide open."Schweiker also met with Sony executives to thank them for the company's significant investments in Pennsylvania and to discuss potential expansion plans. No specific projects were revealed. Together Ebara and Sony currently support more than4,600 jobs in Southwest Pennsylvania.