As the third largest employment segment in Adams County, manufacturing serves as a staple in the tri-state economy. While national manufacturing employment is declining, new plant openings and hiring give us reasons to be hopeful that it will remain steady in the Quincy area.

 

The Springfield Business Journal published their "book of lists" last month including the top Sangamon County manufacturers by the number of full-time employees. Working in a community with a strong manufacturing tradition, we were surprised to learn that in and around the state capital the largest manufacturer - DICKEY-john Corporation - employed 300 workers.

 

Adams County is home to at least seven manufacturers with 300 or more employees and the manufacturing industry accounts for over 17% of the employed population. That translates to 5,000 of the 28,000 people in Adams County verses 3,000 of the 75,000 people in Sangamon County.

 

 

And luckily for us, many of those also mean head of household positions. The 2009 median annual income for all production occupations in West Central Illinois was $30,200 (slightly higher than Springfield) and skilled occupations averaged even higher. Those numbers combined with our low cost of living and available training resources help foster a positive working environment for both employers and employees.

 

So what does manufacturing mean to us?

• Lots of quality jobs at fair wages
• Additional revenue pumped into the region
• Opportunities for growth