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Virginia Business
November
2004
Nationally,
the manufacturing sector has been hard hit in recent
years with closures in sectors such as textiles and
furniture. While manufacturing's position and overall
importance have been overtaken by the gradual shift
to a service economy in many parts of the country, the
story is different in Virginia. In the last few years,
a number of companies have invested in expansions and
new openings. Everything from beer to kitchen cabinets
and the latest in pharmaceuticals continues to be made
in the Old Dominion.
Manufacturing is growing here in some sectors, with
automation and work force training boosting productivity.
Currently, there are about 7,000 manufacturing establishments
in the state. Combine that with another 5,000 supporting
firms in transportation, trucking and warehousing, and
you begin to get a picture of the size and scope of
the industry on the state's economy. Manufacturing in
Virginia employs more than 300,000 workers who earn
above-average weekly wages. As a market segment, manufacturing
only represents about 3 percent of the total businesses
in Virginia; however manufacturing output represents
11.6 percent of the state's gross state product.
Our special report offers a look at the Virginia manufacturing
industry through historical data compiled from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics and the Virginia Employment Commission.
However, numbers alone don't tell the story. We begin
with an interview with the
president of the Virginia Manufacturer's Association,
Brett Vassey.
—
The Editors
Return to Virginia Business - November 2004
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