U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez visited PTR Baler & Compactor Co. Wednesday as part of his "State of the Union: Cabinet in Your Community" tour. He was joined by Mayor Jim Kenney, Councilman Mark Squilla, President of Philadelphia Community College Dr. Donald Generals, and other officials.

Perez and Kenney both highlighted PTR as a model to be replicated throughout major cities.

"Whoever said manufacturing is dead in America hasn't visited PTR," the labor secretary said.

Sec. of Labor Thomas Perez giving @PhillyMayor & other pols a tour of manufacturer in N. Philly pic.twitter.com/495NoRnMZQ

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) January 13, 2016

Officials spoke with several of the workers at the factory on the 2000 block of E. Ontario Street. Kenney highlighted the diversity of the workforce, while Perez spoke to the benefits of robotic technology to the modern American manufacturer.

"These folks are not only building equipment, they're building the middle class," Perez said. "This is a remarkable example of partnership in action. You have the workforce system helping them to develop the pipeline of workers for tomorrow. You have labor management partnerships ...to build shared prosperity."

Visiting for a #SOTU community initiative, Sec. Thomas Perez meets workers at Baler & Compactor with city officials. pic.twitter.com/BqtWXKWrrY

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) January 13, 2016