The country will celebrate National Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 2, 2015.
Manufacturing is big business in this country. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) estimate that manufacturers contribute more than $2 trillion to the national economy. For every $1 spent in manufacturing, another $1.37 is added to the economy.
The NAM estimates Louisiana manufacturers employ 7.4 percent of the state's workforce. According to the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, there are 2,997 manufacturing firms in Louisiana. Top manufacturing sectors in the state are petroleum, coal and chemical products as well as machinery, fabricated metal and paper.
Here locally, manufacturing has a tremendous impact. Area residents may not realize the number of manufacturers that call Northeast Louisiana home - Graphic Packaging, Angus Chemical, Bancroft Bag and Berry Plastic are just a few of the manufacturers in our area. It is estimated they employ more than 10,000 area residents. There are even some you may not consider as "traditional" manufacturers - Pine Valley Foods and Landry Vineyards, both located in the West Monroe area, manufacture food and beverage products.
The WMWO Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and La. Delta Community College to offer tours in late October of local manufacturing sites to high schools students from the Ouachita Parish and Monroe City school systems. Students will have the opportunity to see first hand the types of jobs available in Northeast Louisiana. They will then visit one of Delta Community College's campuses and learn what types of skills are needed and what types of classes are available to obtain such a job.
Take time to understand the importance of manufacturing - not just to Louisiana but this region of our state. To learn more, visit www.mfgday.com.
