Legislators visit manufacturing sites with Arizona Manufacturers Council

The Arizona Manufacturers Council held its inaugural Made in Arizona manufacturing tour last week.

The Arizona Manufacturers Council (AMC) invited a bipartisan delegation of state lawmakers and industry leaders to tour five manufacturing facilities and a community college as part of its Made in Arizona bus tour.

The two-day event kicked off Oct. 22 at Sub-Zero, where Gov. Doug Ducey gave opening remarks about how the state’s thriving business economy attracts both big and small manufacturing companies.

“From technology and food products to aerospace, defense and beyond, more of the finest products in the world are proudly being made in Arizona,” Ducey said. “I want to send the message to the world’s manufacturers who are searching for the best place to build their products: Arizona is the place for you.”

Next, the delegation visited PepsiCo in Tolleson; Boeing in Mesa; Benchmark Electronics in Phoenix; Raytheon in Tucson; and the Pima Community College Aviation Technology Center in Tucson.

“The Arizona Manufacturers Council thanks all of these innovative companies for opening their doors to show off how their products are improving lives and creating jobs,” AMC Executive Director Allison Gilbreath said. “This Made in Arizona tour gave us a small glimpse into the exciting things that are happening in Arizona’s thriving manufacturing sector. From kitchen appliances to helicopters, Arizona is on the cutting-edge of manufacturing technology, creativity and quality.”

Among the state legislators was state Rep. Joanne Osborne, R-Goodyear, who served as the lead legislative coordinator for the tour.

“I am so pleased that there was such enthusiasm among my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to learn more about the pioneering manufacturing occurring in Arizona, and what we as lawmakers can do to help the sector grow,” Osborne said. “The more we can visit with job creators to learn about their challenges, their workforce, and their plans for the future, the more responsive we can be in crafting smart policies that encourage job growth in manufacturing and across the entire economy.”

State Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Rusty Bowers joined the bipartisan delegation of 18 lawmakers, which Gilbreath said was especially encouraging.

“Not only did we have an outstanding turnout of state legislators, but we were honored to welcome the leaders of the two legislative chambers,” Gilbreath said. “My hope is that this tour was educational for all of the lawmakers involved and that it will result in future policy reforms that will prove beneficial to the manufacturing sector and spur job growth.”

The trip was part of the AMC’s celebration of Manufacturing Month, which also included the group’s Manufacturer of the Year Awards and Summit in early October.