Growth Dimensions Celebrates Boone County Manufacturers

Growth Dimensions Economic Development is celebrating local manufacturers for their employment opportunities, innovations and dedication to the community throughout the month of October. We are proud to recognize the vital manufacturing companies that produce goods with the latest technologies and excellent workforce found throughout Boone County.

Manufacturing Day Stretches Through the Whole Month of October

Launched annually on the first Friday in October with events that continue throughout the month, Manufacturing Day shows the reality of modern manufacturing careers by encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers, and community leaders. With the theme of “Creators Wanted,” the focus is on building the workforce of the future by educating America’s youth about the incredible career pathways that modern manufacturing offers. Manufacturing creates careers that are full of opportunity for advancement and stability.

Manufacturing in Boone County

Manufacturing Month is an excellent time to call attention to the many manufacturing companies in Boone County. Manufacturers such as Stellantis, CCSI International and Capron Manufacturing are leaders in technology and good workplace practices, produce high quality products and consistently innovate to keep in step with and progress their industries. We are proud these companies have made their home in Boone County.

Manufacturing Sector Growth in Illinois

Manufacturing’s importance in Boone County and throughout Illinois is due to the sector’s stability and growth. In fact, manufacturing contributes 12.05% to the Gross State Product annually, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). The export of manufacturing goods from Illinois was also over $50.55 billion, creating jobs and economic opportunities for the state.

The Illinois manufacturing industry employed 555,000 people in 2020, and as reported by NAM, the average annual compensation for Illinois manufacturing jobs was over $90,000 in 2019. Upon graduating high school or trade school, students can begin working for one of Boone County’s fantastic manufacturing companies and, within a few years, reach a level of income that surpasses the average household income in the United States. 

Reasons to Locate in Boone County

Boone County offers several advantages to national and global manufacturing companies, beginning with its ideal central location. Boone County sits right in the middle of I-90 and the I-39 CorridorTheir location provides employers the opportunity to pull from a diverse labor force of more than 500,000 possible workers available within a 30 minute commute. That workforce is skilled, talented and capable of excellence in a range of advanced manufacturing operations as a result of historical institutional development in an area with a concentration of manufacturing jobs more than five times that of the U.S. average.

Another area advantage is the availability of unparalleled transportation infrastructure. In addition to I-90 and I-39, several other major interstates such as I-43 and I-88 connect Boone County to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Rockford. Those highways provide efficient accessibility to air transportation at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport,  O’Hare International Airport, Chicago Midway and Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport. As such, freight and personal travel can reach major international airports on both coasts, Canada and Mexico within a five-hour flight. Closer to home, the Poplar Grove Airport has a 4,000-foot runway popular for executive travel. Several Industrial sites in Boone County  have access to Union Pacific Rail, most within thirty miles of Union Pacific Global III Intermodal Facility.

There is room for manufacturers looking to expand in Boone County. A wide, diverse range of existing properties for sale and lease are currently available to meet many different requirements. One exciting possibility is Foriegn Trade Zone #176, which can help Boone County manufacturers reduce the cost of manufacturing to be more competitive with overseas production. Many incentives exist to support business expansion into Boone County, most notably the Opportunity Zones and Belvidere/Boone County Enterprise Zone.

To learn more about how Growth Dimensions Economic Development can help manufacturing companies in your area, email us or call (815) 547-4252.