Happy Manufacturing Month! October is always a busy time at Greater Peoria EDC as we join so many of our partners in shining a light on a truly special part of our region’s past, present and future. It’s a busy month, and as you’ll see from our newsletter, nearly everything seems connected to manufacturing. We kicked off the month with Career Spark, hosting over 4,000 eighth graders for a hands-on career exploration extravaganza. And while Career Spark highlights all sorts of careers, we pride ourselves in showcasing opportunities in manufacturing. That is followed up by the Discover Manufacturing Expo, a set of events that connects high school students to some of our largest manufacturers. We even had a visit this month from the Makers on the Move bus. Each year, the bus travels throughout Illinois to highlight the importance of this sector.
Last month I wrote about the importance of agriculture to Greater Peoria. And while agriculture is certainly our oldest industry, it is really manufacturing that put us “on the map.” From the early days of whiskey and beer production to becoming the earth moving capital of the world, it’s pretty obvious that our region is made for makers. A few years ago I was contacted by a reporter for The Atlantic who wanted to know more about the Peoria region. She was following up on a study that talked about changing voting patterns in “factory towns.” We didn’t end up talking much about politics, but did discuss at length the concept that Peoria is a “factory town.” I will be honest that I don’t like that phrase because it has a pejorative connotation – that we are only one thing. And though I would never describe us a “factory town” I am very proud of our connection to manufacturing.
While the region’s economy has diversified over the past few decades, we can never lose sight of the importance of manufacturing as a foundational element. Manufacturing businesses and employees underline the rest of our local economy: retail, banking, education. Even the healthcare sector — now our largest industry in terms of employment — recognizes this. Healthcare is ultimately a service industry and relies heavily on our manufacturing businesses and workers for the provision of this service.
The good news is that manufacturing is alive and well in Greater Peoria. Over 20,000 people work in the manufacturing industry. The jobs span from assembly to machining to engineering and require anywhere from a welding certificate to a doctorate degree. Earlier this year when Jay Garner (an author and nationally recognized site selector) spoke at our Economic Development Forum, he quipped that Greater Peoria was the intersection of dreamers and doers, those who design the products of the future and those who then build them.
Caterpillar is still the dominant manufacturing employer with around 12,000 local employees and serve as the cornerstone of our business community. But there are dozens and dozens of other companies that are working in this industry. We have large employers like Komatsu and Liberty Steel, smaller companies like Metamora Industries and Quality Metals, and a whole universe of companies who support the manufacturing industry like Trigo and Tada. And while heavy metals are at the base of this part of our economy, we make lots of other things, from foil yogurt lids to sunglasses to vegan leather.
Maybe Peoria isn’t a factory town in the traditional sense, but that does not mean we should hide the importance of manufacturing to our economy. It is great that our region has diversified — that has made us stronger and more resilient. But at heart, we are still makers.