Humaira ZafariThe Arizona Manufacturers Council will host the 2022 Manufacturer of the Year Awards and Summit on Oct. 11 at the Arizona Biltmore. The annual event celebrates the state’s manufacturing innovators and trailblazers as part of Arizona Manufacturing Month, which Gov. Doug Ducey declared in a proclamation in August.
“Arizona strives to be a world leader in cutting edge technology development and manufacturing,” the proclamation said.
The event will honor excellence among manufacturers large and small for their efforts to embrace and promote innovation, sustainability and more. Winners will be named at an awards luncheon on Oct. 11.
Just this year, local economic development organizations collaborated effectively with businesses that are projected to add more than 24,000 new jobs in Arizona.
Job creators in the manufacturing sector are choosing Arizona, as evidenced by the state’s 1.78% population growth rate according to the latest census figures. The state offers manufacturers a highly skilled workforce and a robust talent pipeline, as well as close proximity to California ports and logistics networks.
Fiscal Year 2022 saw the Arizona Commerce Authority achieve 151% of its projected jobs goal, 110% of its wages goal, and 768% of its projected capital investment goal.
The $20 billion investment by Intel, one of the world’s leading chipmakers, earned the Gold Shovel Award from Area Development Magazine. The company is building two new semiconductor facilities in Chandler, which will lead to the creation of more than 3,000 well-paying jobs in Arizona. Another manufacturing win includes the announcement by KORE Power, Inc. that it will construct a 1-million-square-foot battery manufacturing facility in Buckeye and create upwards of 3,400 new employment opportunities. KORE Power develops battery cell technology for energy storage and electric vehicles.
“With our state’s strong fiscal position, rising revenues and population growth, Arizona remains unstoppable,” Gov. Ducey said.
A National Association of Manufacturers report from 2021 shows that manufacturers in Arizona account for 8.37% of the total output in the state, employing 5.93% of the workforce.
Data from the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) reinforces Arizona’s reputation as a manufacturing hub. Between July 2012 and July 2022, Arizona added 36,000 total manufacturing jobs. Notably, statewide growth of the industry continues to outpace the rest of the nation, as manufacturing jobs in the state have grown at 7.2% year over year – nearly double the U.S. rate of 3.8%, according to the OEO.
Joseph Kavetsky
Guest Contributor
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