MANUFACTURING PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE AREA

The opening of a new industry always attracts considerable attention. With it comes promises of new jobs and a hefty payroll that largely will be spent locally and generate tax revenues. Many manufacturing industries purchase raw materials and much of their other needs locally. Generally, a new industry delivers a real boost to the local economy.

Equally impressive, however, are the number of existing industries that are rigidly established in the area. Many of them have undergone expansions throughout their histories, adding jobs as they expand facilities and bolster production.

A report in the business section of the Southeast Missourian July 12 points to the important role of industry in the area. The story listed the top 28 manufacturing firms in the area and the number of people they employ and told of how some have undergone expansions. With work forces ranging from as few as 95 to as many as 1,300, combined they currently provide employment for approximately 12,000 people in Southeast Missouri.

While word of a new industry coming to town is good news, so is expansion of existing industries and the new jobs most expansions create. Some may find it surprising that existing industries actually generate 80 percent of all new jobs in the area.

The top five manufacturing employers in the area account for approximately 4,250 jobs alone. Two of them Lee-Rowan at Jackson and Procter & Gamble north of Cape Girardeau have undergone significant expansions through the years. Lee-Rowan began in 1964 with 25 employees and P&G in 1969 with 400; today Lee-Rowan employs 750 people and P&G 1,300.

The sprawling P&G plant serves as a prime example of the impact manufacturing has on the local economy. As one of the largest manufacturing employers in the area, P&G's local payroll exceeds $50 million annually. The company spends an additional $145 million annually in purchases from Missouri suppliers for goods and services, contractor services and office supplies for use not only here but at other P&G facilities.

Collectively, manufacturing plays a vital role in the economy of the area and is largely responsible for helping to keep unemployment numbers down, particularly in the immediate Cape Girardeau area. We look forward to manufacturing's continued prosperity in the area.