Jacksonville finishes near last in manufacturing study

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville's manufacturing sector trails other metropolitan areas and has not grown like other parts of the country, according to a national report released today.

Manufacturing accounts for 4.5 percent of all jobs in the Jacksonville area, compared to 8.5 percent nationally for the 100 biggest metropolitan areas. By that measure, Jacksonville ranks 90th among those cities, according to a Brookings report released today.

The report by Brookings, a Washington think tank, says manufacturing has shed its rust-belt image and has become more technologically advanced â€" a trend that opens the door for higher-paid jobs.

Manufacturing in Florida

Manufacturing jobs account for a small share of the jobs in Florida. Here is how they rank compared to the nation's 100 biggest metropolitan areas. Lakeland is high because of food manufacturing.

City Manufacturing percent of jobs -- National rank

Lakeland 15.3 -- 4

Palm Bay-Melbourne 10.4 -- 22

Sarasota 5.2 -- 82

Tampa-St. Petersburg 5 -- 84

Jacksonville 4.5 -- 90

Orlando 3.7 -- 94

Miami-Fort Lauderdale 3.3 -- 95

Fort Myers 2.1 -- 99

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-05-08/story/jacksonville-finishes-near-last-manufacturing-study

[Tacachale]

Not terribly surprising, but interesting nonetheless.

[Jason]

I don't see this to necessarily be a negative.  It really depends on what is bing manufactured and the wages of the workers.

[thelakelander]

Yeah, it all depends.  Being from the Lakeland MSA, a union member could pull +$50k a year with benefits from a box plant.  However, go down the street to a citrus processing plant and you won't make as half as much.

[Ocklawaha]

Have to question their methodology. Virtually all import cars east of the Mississippi come through our port and go into 'final assembly,' in Jacksonville. Publix counts for food manufacturing in Lakeland, but Winn Dixie doesn't? I get the feeling they are missing something.

OCKLAWAHA

[ronchamblin]

Wouldn't it be great is some of us, in our spare time, would begin a manufacturing enterprise in one of the empty downtown buildings?  The product might be of low or medium sophistication so that we could utilize immediately the local unemployed.  What product?  What need is not being met by existing products?  I can't think of anything more exciting than to fill one of the existing downtown buildings with a manufacturing project, and to hire perhaps forty local downtown people to work in it.  We could call it Hemming Manufacturing.     

[thelakelander]

Ock, Publix has a pretty large industrial complex that includes a bakery, milk processing, food and printing plants.  As a kid, it was pretty cool to visit because the facility is set up similar to Jax's AB brewery to allow groups to tour their manufacting operations from above.  I'd assume these types of operations would count towards manufacturing, not their distribution facilities.  I'm not sure if WD manufactures their products or if they contract through others.

Manufacturing consists of 12 facilities: four Fresh Foods operations, three Dairy Plants, two Bakery Plants, the Deli Kitchen, Printing Services, Manufacturing/Supply Purchasing, and Corporate Manufacturing.

Our four Fresh Foods operations are located in Lakeland, FL, Deerfield Beach, FL, Jacksonville, FL, and Lawrenceville, GA. They pack high-quality fruits and vegetables in convenient packages for our customers. The Fresh Foods facilities produce approximately 80 million packages of product annually. These facilities employ a total of more than 250 associates.

Our three Dairy Plants are located in Lakeland, FL, Deerfield Beach, FL, and Lawrenceville, GA. They process a total of 100 million gallons of fresh milk per year. They also produce ice cream, bottled water, iced teas, fruit drinks and juices, cultured products, and carbonated beverages. These facilities employ a total of more than 600 associates.

Our two Bakery Plants are in Lakeland, FL and Atlanta, GA. The Lakeland plant is Publix's oldest manufacturing facility. It opened in 1972 with 27 associates and now employs more than 400. The facility is approximately 225,000 square feet in size. Production lines include dry mix, frozen sweet goods, frozen rolls, frozen wire-cut cookies, icings, and fruit fillings. Ready to serve baked productsâ€"muffins, crème cakes, cornbread and cupcakesâ€"are processed here as well. The Atlanta Bakery Plant opened in 2004. This 115,000-square-foot facility employs more than 100 associates. It produces frozen pies and rolls that are ready to be baked in our stores.

The Deli Kitchen in Lakeland produces a variety of fully prepared meats and salads according to Publix's demanding quality standards. These foods are designed to save time for customers when they are preparing meals. This 200,000-plus square foot facility employs more than 400 associates.

Printing Services handles more than 182,000 orders each year, including requests to print forms, labels, signs, and newsletters. This department also produces electronic files for Publix's weekly newspaper ads, engraves name badges for retail associates, and handles corporate photography needs.

http://www.publix.com/careers/Manufacturing.do

[thelakelander]

Wouldn't it be great is some of us, in our spare time, would begin a manufacturing enterprise in one of the empty downtown buildings?  The product might be of low or medium sophistication so that we could utilize immediately the local unemployed.  What product?  What need is not being met by existing products?  I can't think of anything more exciting than to fill one of the existing downtown buildings with a manufacturing project, and to hire perhaps forty local downtown people to work in it.  We could call it Hemming Manufacturing.

Peterbrooke wanted to turn the old library into a chocolate factory a couple of years ago but that ship has passed.

[bill]

Another casualty of unions.

[tufsu1]

what's really sad is how pitiful Florida is.....with exception of Lakeland, all our major metros are in the bottom 20%

[mtraininjax]

Peterbrooke wanted to turn the old library into a chocolate factory a couple of years ago but that ship has passed.

And yet the shell of the old Library still remains empty.

[Garden guy]

Banking and insurance has been the golden egg for this state...florida as a whole suck on true manufacturing...right now the only thing being manufactured in this city is debt management and insurance rejection centers..lol...well  seems like it.

[Dog Walker]

Do they even count food processing operations in manufacturing?  Lake, do you know?

[mtraininjax]

florida as a whole suck on true manufacturing

Rightly so, what retiree wants to come and live somewhere if you cannot see the sun? Until we stop becoming a retiree state, don't look for manufacturing to ramp up anytime soon. Besides, Detroit needs the rebirth, to bring people back to it.

[thelakelander]

Do they even count food processing operations in manufacturing?  Lake, do you know?

Yes.  Things like tobacco products and beverages would also fall within the food category.