The door to the Interstate 4 corridor is wide open. One of the main road transportation arteries pumps lifeblood into Greater Tampa Bay as travelers cross the State of Florida to vacation, visit, relocate and retire. The interstate not only delivers people to the beaches, it transports them into business, serving as a gateway to warehouses, distribution and logistics for the manufacturing industry.
More than 2,800 manufacturing firms in the region employ more than 62,000 people. From 2009 to 2018, Greater Tampa Bay manufacturing employment rose by more than 13%, and average annual wages went up by 25%, according to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council.
“The Tampa Bay area is not known for its manufacturing,” said Bay Area Manufacturing Association board member Kevin Gerrish, director of operations for Beckwith Electric. “In the past 15 years I have lived in the area, I have seen the manufacturing base expand. Larger companies are always surprised with the breadth of manufacturing and technical talent in an area that is known more for its beaches than for producing products that end up in airplanes, defense systems, satellites, the power grid.”
Fortune 500 company Jabil is headquartered in St. Petersburg, where it has built a comprehensive production system of solutions for defense and aerospace customers. The site in Pinellas County specializes in mission-critical, high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. Worldwide, Jabil has 100 plants in 30 countries and 260,000 employees.
Industrywide, a little more than half the manufacturing employees in Greater Tampa Bay are employed in Pinellas County, according to the Pinellas County Economic Development. Companies with a significant presence in the county include Baxter Healthcare, ConMed Linvatec, GE Energy Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Lockheed Martin, Monin Gourmet Flavorings and Raytheon.
As wave after wave of people of all varieties settle in the region, the manufacturing industry reflects the melting pot bubbling over with progress below the panhandle.
“Manufacturing in Tampa Bay is strong and diverse,” said Steve Morey, senior vice president of economic development for the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council.
Greater Tampa Bay is the global headquarters home of Bertram Yachts, The Mosaic Company, Advanced Airfoil Components and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida. Numerous other companies have settled in the area and continue to create products used all around the region and beyond.
“As a local business leader, I very much appreciate being able to source many of the items needed for my manufacturing organization directly from the Tampa Bay area,” Gerrish said.
Schools such as Pasco-Hernando State College, Hillsborough Community College, Pinellas Technical College and St. Petersburg College provide workforce training opportunities, further illustrating how the region is not just a vacation destination but also a vocation destination.
“The Greater Tampa Bay area is the best-kept secret for potential job seekers,” Gerrish said. “When I relocated here, I had no idea how great of a place to live [this is] and the opportunities that are here. This needs to be advertised more.”
Greater Tampa Bay’s Leading Manufacturing Companies
- Jabil Inc.
- Bertram Yachts
- The Mosaic Company
- Advanced Airfoil Components
- Coca-Cola Beverages Florida
- Aero Simulation Inc.
- Amalie Oil Company
- Bausch + Lomb
- Beneficial Blends
- Boeing
- Chromalloy Castings
- GE Energy
- Gerdau
- Hubbell
- James Hardie
- Johnson Controls
- Masonite
- Metrohm
- Primo Water Corporation
- Tampa Armature Works
- Tampa Tank and Florida Structural Steel
- Online connections
The Greater Tampa Bay Manufacturing Ecosystem Features the Following Helpful Entities:
Bay Area Manufacturing Association — BAMA supports manufacturers and promotes economic development through manufacturing in the region. Visit bama-fl.org.
Florida High Tech Corridor — The technology-rich region is an economic development initiative of three of the largest research institutions in the country — the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. Visit floridahightech.com.
FloridaMakes — This statewide partnership, which seeks to strength and advance the economy of Florida by improving the competitiveness, productivity and technological performance of the manufacturing sector, is operated by an alliance of the regional manufacturers associations. Visit floridamakes.org.
Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation — The EDC, established from the St. Pete community and economic Grow Smarter strategy, promotes economic prosperity by marketing the city as a world-class business and career location. Visit stpeteedc.com.
Manufacturers Association of Florida — MAF is a trade association of manufacturers, organizations and associated businesses to improve the business climate of the industry. Visit mafmfg.com.
Manufacturing Alliance of Hillsborough County — This alliance aims to cultivate the next generation of workers to help businesses access talent and resources. Visit madeinhillsborough.org.
National Tooling and Machining Association, Florida West Coast chapter — This association represents the precision custom manufacturing industry, and this chapter draws its members from Hillsborough, Pasco, Sarasota and Pinellas counties. Visit fwcntma.org
Pinellas County Economic Development — The PCED works with existing businesses to encourage expansion and seeks to attract new companies with high—wage careers. Visit pced.org
Society of Manufacturing Engineers Tampa Bay — SME focuses on several areas of manufacturing, including aerospace and defense, energy, medical and motorized vehicles. Visit smetampabay.org.
Tampa Bay Economic Development Council — The partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors is the lead designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Visit tampabayedc.com.
Variety In the Industry
There are 10 manufacturing industry sectors with more than 3,000 employees each in Greater Tampa Bay
Sector; Employees
Computer and Electronic Products; 10,560
Fabricated Metal Products; 6,814
Machinery; 6,044
Food; 4,825
Chemical; 4,725
Transportation Equipment; 3,706
Printing and Related Support; 3,500
Plastics and Rubber Products; 3,268
Nonmetallic Mineral Products; 3,160
Electrical Equipment and Appliances; 3,113
Sources: Chmura JobsEQ Q3 2020 via tampabayedc.com
