Florida Manufacturing Grows Faster than the Nation – But is Our Region Ready for the Future?

Author: Kevin Carr, CEO, FloridaMakes

Submitted to: Orlando Sentinel

According to the Florida Chamber Foundation, Florida’s manufacturing continues to grow at a rate faster than the U.S. In a recent Forbes Article, the Orlando, Miami, and West Palm regions are ranked 1, 4, & 5 in top regions where manufacturing is thriving in our country.

The Central Florida region exemplifies how impactful the convergence of industry, business, and talent is for economic development. An article in Chief Executive Magazine stated the Orlando area is the “nation’s foremost hub for optics technology and advanced manufacturing”.

With more than 21,500 manufacturing businesses and more than 375,000 manufacturing jobs in Florida, we must look to the future and continue to accelerate growth between now and 2030. The development of a current and future talent base, the adoption and application of advanced manufacturing technologies, and an increase in our share of the domestic and international market for manufactured goods will translate to a more resilient and robust manufacturing economy in Florida.

FloridaMakes focuses on engaging and applying manufacturing assets throughout Florida- from industry, academia, and the public sector- to accelerate access to the right resources for business and industry leaders to be able to succeed. We have launched the Make More Manufacturing Summit to engage industry and government leaders from around the state to work together to chart a path toward a more resilient, diversified economy overall in Florida, leading to a prosperous future for our citizens.

Learn more about the summit at www.FloridaMakes.com/events.

Share Your Thoughts on Florida’s Manufacturing Industry

The impact of manufacturing to Florida’s $1 trillion economy is significant. Tell us what you think about Florida’s manufacturing future by clicking here to take the Florida Chamber’s manufacturing survey.