THIS JUST IN: Manufacturing Day honors state’s legacy, looks ahead to bright future

This week is Manufacturing Week in Michigan, culminating today in National Manufacturing Day • Held annually on the first Friday in October, Manufacturing Day looks to highlight the positive image of careers in manufacturing

Manufacturing Day takes on special significance in Michigan, a legendary global manufacturing leader that is redefining the potential of advance manufacturing. In the last five years, the state has been in the forefront of job creation and training investment.

“Michigan is home to the greatest workforce in the nation, and these men and women continue to push the boundaries of manufacturing excellence,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release. “Simply put, no other state has the manufacturing talent and knowhow that Michigan does, and this is highlighted by the fact that manufacturing companies are making historic investments to build their products in our state.”   

Key manufacturing-related statistics for the state include:

• Michigan is home to a diverse manufacturing sector that includes transportation, machinery, alternative energy, food and beverage, computer and electrical products, furniture, bioscience, chemical, defense-related manufacturing, and many others.
• Manufacturing represents one-fifth of Michigan’s gross state product, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis.
• 635,500 men and women are directly employed in the manufacturing industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statics.
• More than 11,386 unique manufacturing firms populate the Great Lakes State, according to the National Association of Manufacturing, and Michigan’s manufacturing total output exceeds $98.64 billion annually.
• Michigan has created more than 185,200 new manufacturing jobs in the last nine years – an increase of 42.8 percent – remaining the national leader in manufacturing job creation and outpacing all other states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Business Facilities recently ranked Michigan at the fourth spot for top manufacturing states in terms of employment in its 15th annual Rankings Report for 2019, a ranking that underscores the state’s dramatic economic growth and ongoing efforts to create jobs for Michigan residents across the state.

And Michigan’s leadership position as a manufacturing powerhouse was recently recognized by two national publications, both lauding the strength of the industry in the state. Chief Executive magazine recognized leaders from six manufacturing companies with a presence in Michigan highlighted in a recent article, “Meet America’s Makers: 25 Manufacturing CEOs Thriving in the U.S.” And Michigan’s continued leadership in manufacturing was also underscored in a recent Forbes article, “A Tale of Two Cities: Great Michigan Manufacturing News from Opposite Corners of the State.”

Michigan is also at the forefront of manufacturing job creation across the country, with Macomb County leading the nation according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Three other Michigan counties – Kent, Oakland and Wayne – made the list of the 40 U.S. counties with the largest increase in manufacturing employment. These four counties represent 48 percent of the total manufacturing jobs here in the state.

“Manufacturing is in our DNA in Michigan,” said Jeff Mason, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “As the national leader in manufacturing job creation, we must recognize the industry for its high-tech, high-skilled, and well-paid career options — careers where average annual compensation and benefits are higher than the average across all industries.”

In addition, Michigan has the nation-leading approach to training its 277,000 skilled-trades workers and leads the country with the most funds dedicated to skill-trades training.

In honor of Manufacturing Day, businesses throughout Michigan and across the country will open their doors and invite students, reporters and anyone else interested to a front-row seat to view the next generation of skilled workers performing 21^st-century manufacturing.

There are nearly 200 Manufacturing Day events planned in Michigan this year. 

In Detroit, Manufacturing Day celebrations include a facility tour of Comprehensive Logistics and of Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow (LIFT), and the Michigan Science Center is encouraging students to participate in structured and independent hands-on activities that demonstrate manufacturing & engineering processes at their facility. In addition, the Wayne County Economic and Development Corporation, in partnership with the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA), is coordinating its fifth annual celebration of Manufacturing Day.

Last year, thanks to the willingness of 50 companies, more than 3,000 students visited manufacturing facilities, learned about career opportunities and post-secondary options for college statewide.

Recent manufacturing jobs-creating projects in Michigan include:

• FCA expanding in SE Michigan, building new assembly plant in Detroit
• ITB Packaging expanding in Holland
• Waupaca Foundry establishing facility in Ironwood
• German battery manufacturer AKASOL establishing North American presence in metro Detroit

To see why manufacturers are choosing Michigan, visit here. For more Michigan economic development news, visit here.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.