Key locations in America’s industrial expansion
Despite the U.S manufacturing sector having been hit hard by the recession, an industrial regeneration has been progressing in the country for the past five years. Over 330,000 industrial jobs have been created since 2010 and economic output has reached the highest levels in 20 years.
State economies have been boosted by this industrial expansion with manufacturing sectors generating a significant number of jobs in urban areas. In the top ten ranking of cities with the highest manufacturing employment growth and strength
to sustain it, Houston-Sugarland-Baytown, Texas, Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash., Oklahoma City, Okla., and Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn., all feature.
These cities specialise in a diverse range of manufacturing elements, for example, in Houston industrial employment has grown by 15% due to the acceleration of metal fabrication, machinery, and chemical industries. Oklahoma City’s industrial employment is also up by 15%, with a boom in energy production.
Recovery of the auto industry has been particularly impressive in the U.S, with the resurgence of domestic automakers as well as input from foreign companies. This centres geographically around the Great Lakes, the Mid-South and Southeast. Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, Mich. has seen industrial employment rise by 26% with its transition into more high-tech production.
The South has been developing significantly across a number of industries, from aerospace to autos. Two of the South’s largest metropolitan regions, Nashville, Tenn. and Virginia Beach, Va., demonstrate this and the knock on effect has spurred growth in other Southern cities with an increase in foreign investment boosting production.
To the West Seattle has seen 13% growth in manufacturing employment since 2009 with Seattle-Bellevue-Everett being the home of Microsoft MSFT +0.21%, Amazon and Starbucks SBUX -0.34%, and primary manufacturing location of Boeing BA -0.84%. Kennewick-Pasco-Richland and Wenatchee in Washington State have also been thriving off low hydro-electric energy prices. In Utah, Salt Lake City has been expanding from an increase in technology manufacturing, with companies drawn to the favourable business climate and low energy prices.
