ManuFacts

Florida’s manufacturing sector is vibrant, with many small companies providing high-paying jobs to Floridians across the state. The data and industry information below comes from both state and national sources, highlighting the strength of the industry statewide.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

• Data Release file on Florida manufacturing from the Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research (WSER) at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Download here.

Why Manufacturing? A case for promoting the industry in your community.

• This February 2020 presentation to the Florida Economic Development Council highlights the economic impact manufacturing can have in a community and how working with FloridaMakes can help economic developers make manufacturing a priority for their industry diversification efforts. Plus, the importance manufacturing has in doubling rural GDP.

Did you know?

The following data is from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (2019).

• Florida is home to more than 20,000 manufacturing companies.
• Manufacturing accounts for 4.95% of Florida’s Gross State Product and over 380,000 high-wage jobs in Florida, with an average wage of $61,735.
• 80% of Florida manufacturers have 20 or fewer employees.
• Florida manufacturers produce a variety of goods including aerospace products, batteries, food and beverages, communications equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, semiconductors, boats, and more.

Every $1 in manufactured goods produces $3.60 in other sectors (Source: Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, 2016).

Florida’s largest manufacturing segments, by employment, and areas of manufacturing clusters, are highlighted in the following graphic.

Employment in Florida’s Largest Manufacturing Segments

*Source: Department of Economic Opportunity (October 2017)

Areas of Excellence in Florida: Advanced manufacturing, including electronic components aerospace and defense products, metal fabrication, and medical equipment.

Select Companies in Florida: Actavis Inc., Danfoss Turbocor, Embraer, Gerdau Ameristell, Harris, HEICO, Jabil, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Power Systems, Motorola, Siemens Power Systems, Sun Hydraulics

Florida Manufacturing – Economic Analysis by Geographic Region

As part of our work to strengthen Florida manufacturing, FloridaMakes, with support from the Regional Manufacturers Associations and CareerSource Florida, has developed an in-depth economic analysis of Florida's manufacturing by geographic region. The research was conducted by IHS.

The resulting manufacturing sector profiles provide data that can be used to determine, document and report future growth patterns of emerging and existing manufacturing subsectors in the state, and to enhance strategic planning for workforce training and economic development opportunities and other manufacturing sector needs.

Click on any of the following to access the manufacturing sector profile by region:

• Central Florida Manufacturing Sector Profile
• First Coast Manufacturing Sector Profile
• Gainesville Manufacturing Sector Profile
• Mid-Florida Manufacturing Sector Profile
• Northwest Florida and Capital Region Manufacturing Sector Profile
• South Florida Manufacturing Sector Profile
• Southwest Regional Manufacturing Sector Profile
• Volusia Manufacturing Sector Profile
• West Central Gulf Coast Manufacturing Sector Profile

Rural Manufacturing Study

A study conducted in rural areas of Florida reveals that wages earned by those working in the manufacturing sector were among the highest locally compared to other industries and were almost 33% higher than average earnings in 2016.

• See this 2016 Rural Manufacturing Study by FloridaMakes, conducted under a grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
• A news release about the study is here: *Manufacturing Sector Contributes 33 Percent Higher Wages, Economic Growth Opportunities in Rural Florida