Some Interesting Facts about the Florida Manufacturing Industry

• There are more than 14,000 manufacturing businesses in Florida.
• Florida has a strong, skilled manufacturing workforce which represents 5% of the state’s workforce.
• About 307,500 people in Florida are employed by manufacturers.
• The average annual salary for a Florida manufacturing employee is $68,000 about 72 percent higher than the statewide average private sector wage.
• In 2010, Florida exported $14 billion of manufactured goods to Free Trade Agreement partner countries.
• Manufactured goods represent 85 to 90 percent of all Florida exports. Each dollar of manufactured goods creates another $1.43 of activity in other sectors.
• Manufacturing firms perform approximately 70 percent of U.S. industry research and development.
• Florida’s manufacturing industries are diverse, and include companies in traditional manufacturing industries, such as electronics, plastics, food processing and printing, as well as those engaged in breakthrough technologies like laser and photonics, medical devices and aviation/aerospace.
• Manufacturers have the biggest multiplier effect of all industries in Florida. Therefore more economic activity is gained per economic development dollar invested in manufacturing than in any other sector.
• Florida counties that have a strong manufacturing presence include Brevard, Broward, Duval, Miami-Dade, Orange and Pinellas counties.
• Between 2003-2010, there was a 102% growth in exports of manufactured goods in Florida.

Sources: Florida Tax Watch Report (Aug.2011), Agency for Workforce Innovation, Enterprise Florida, Inc., FLATE Center for Manufacturing Education, Manufacturing Association of Florida, Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, National Association of Manufacturers, Workforce Florida, Inc.