MOLINE – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) continued its statewide “Manufacturing Matters Illinois” tour on Wednesday with a stop at Moline Forge, Inc. to discuss a new study detailing the integral role manufacturing plays in the Illinois economy.
The analysis found that the manufacturing industry in Illinois generates $304.8 billion in output each year, which amounts to 12 percent of the Gross State Product – the single largest contribution by any industry. Statewide, manufacturers directly employ 592,200 women and men. These are good paying, middle-class jobs with an average salary of $88,691, providing a total of $52 billion in wages and benefits across Illinois.
“As the state’s largest economic engine, Illinois manufacturers feed the world, make life-saving products, power our jobs and businesses, build our infrastructure, transport people and products around the globe, and provide for our nation’s defense,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturing makes the world a better place to live every single day and is integral to the story of Illinois and the United States.”
Manufacturing plays an important role in the Quad Cities, as Rock Island County is home to the 12th largest concentration of manufacturing jobs in Illinois. Manufacturing supports a total of 13,600 jobs in Rock Island County, paying an average wage of more than $76,300. Manufacturers including Moline Forge generate $3.7 billion in economic output in the area, accounting for nearly 13 percent of the county’s Gross Domestic Product.
“Moline Forge is proud of the contributions we have made to our community since we first began operating more than 100 years ago, and we are excited about the opportunity to continue to grow,” said Vic Almgren, president and CEO of Moline Forge. “Our loyal customer base knows that we are smart, fast, flexible and make products of the highest quality. While forging is one of the oldest metalworking processes, we are constantly evolving and improving with the help of technology.”
Moline Forge, Inc. was founded in 1915 as Moline Forging and Manufacturing Co., with the sole purpose of producing artillery shell forgings for the Allied Forces during World War I in Europe. The company has since established itself as the leading Midwest manufacturer of high-quality forgings for the agriculture and transportation sectors.
“Manufacturing is the solution to many of the challenges facing our state if the right policies are put into place,” Denzler added. “Our elected leaders should choose policies that will build upon our best-in-class workforce and create a pipeline of qualified workers for the future. Let’s create a better Illinois that is the best place to invest, the best place to innovate, and the best place from which to export.”
The analysis was conducted by the Center for Manufacturing Research in partnership with INFORUM, Interindustry Forecasting at the University of Maryland. For more information, including a full copy of the report, please visit https://ima-net.org/2019economicanalysis/
About the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is the only statewide association dedicated exclusively to advocating, promoting and strengthening the manufacturing sector in Illinois. The IMA is the oldest and largest state manufacturing trade association in the United States, representing nearly 4,000 companies and facilities.
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