Manufacturing in Cape County

Monday, November 5, 2018

Did you know more than 11 percent of the private sector workforce in Cape Girardeau County is employed in the field of manufacturing?

Almost 4,000 people work in more than 180 manufacturing facilities in our county. In 2017, the average weekly wage for these jobs was a little more than $1,000, accounting for more than 203 million dollars in payroll. That’s a lot of buying power and a significant piece of our local economy.

The types of products manufactured locally may surprise many of you. Of course, there’s the diapers, toilet paper, paper towels and Portland cement. But did you know Cape County is also home to corrugated boxes, plastic flexible packaging, electrical enclosures, closet organizers, professional performance grade music cables, fertilizer sticks, IV bag contents, restaurant-grade BBQ pits, rubber carpet backing, mulch, shower enclosures and railroad car parts? And that only scratches the surface.

While the manufacturing industry is a great strength for our region, several local manufacturers are faced with a tricky issue. Workforce is a challenge throughout the country, and the Cape area is no different. Many of our local manufacturers have open positions they are struggling to fill.

How can you be a part of the solution? Take some time to learn about the various manufacturers we have locally and become informed on local opportunities.

Manufacturing Day is held each October and is an excellent opportunity to learn more about local manufacturing. Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t — to students interested in the industry.

Manufacturers play a key role in the strength of our local economy — please join us in addressing the challenges they face.