Manufacturing, the often-invisible pillar of our community, celebrates National Manufacturing Day on October 2nd. The celebration started by the Manufacturers Institute, helps show the reality of modern manufacturing careers by encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders. As manufacturers seek to fill 4.6 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying jobs over the next decade. Manufacturing Day, with additional celebrations throughout the month, empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.
According to the National Association of Manufacturers, every dollar spent in manufacturing generates nearly $1.90M in economic activity and is the largest manufacturing sector in the world producing 18.2 percent of the world’s goods. This sector also greatly supports many other sectors involved in the whole of the economy. It leverages the engineering field, financial services sector, and even into the legal arena. These types of businesses would be far less busy and less successful without manufacturers.
Manufacturing provides the foundation for many types of innovation in cities and counties throughout the United States. It is this essential innovation that provides strength, security and economic health to our nation. Right here in Mesa County, we have many companies adding to our economic strength and security. We have larger scale companies and piece-work type companies. We have million-dollar investments in land and capital and we have companies investing all excess revenues available to add one more machine. Each of these businesses are vital to the economy of the Western Slope and the State of Colorado.
Examples of these important businesses in Grand Junction include one of the best department of defense contractors you will find, a company that builds the world’s largest aquariums and water exhibits, along with a business making tee-pee style tents with wood burning stove features. Companies here are responsible for art out of metal, iron and aluminum, oil and gas pipeline projects, manufacture elevators, ziplines, tear-drop trailers and the integral parts of high-performance bicycles. The importance of this sector is on a sharp incline locally, and it has everything to do with the quality of our companies and their leadership.
lease join us at the Grand Junction Chamber in celebrating National Manufacturing day recognizing this vital industry which is engaged in the continued creation of jobs and strengthening of our economy.