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Factories Of The Future

Advanced Manufacturing and Materials

The Greater Wichita region is the leading manufacturing-specialized region in the United States and home to the most highly trained and advanced workers in the world, making us a global center for advanced manufacturing and materials development. This is where aerospace, engineering, research, and materials development converge to build the future, today.

900

Manufacturing Companies

18%

Employment in the Manufacturing Sector, Double the National Avg. Concentration

#1

Skilled Workforce

Existing and Expanding Manufacturing Ecosystem

With a history entrenched in manufacturing, Wichita’s workforce is responsible for generations of complex manufacturing systems across multiple industries. A quick view of some of the companies who are located in the Greater Wichita region provides a powerful perspective on our collective influence and global impact. Perhaps it’s time to ask Siemens Gamesa, Massey Ferguson, York, GE Aviation, Rubbermaid, Pfizer and Cessna — who all operate here, in the hard-working heart of America — why your company should be here, too.

  • The Greater Wichita region ranks fourth in manufacturing jobs as a percentage of all jobs. [Lightcast]
  • Wichita is the #1 U.S. city for manufacturing jobs, according to a study by Kempler Industries.
  • Sedgwick County is a Foreign Trade Zone, exempting manufacturers from paying duty or federal excise tax while goods remain in the zone or are exported.

World-Class Workforce and Talent Pipeline

Home to the number-one skilled workforce in the United States, your business will have direct access to an abundance of dedicated, hard-working employees from a ten-county region that is home to nearly 800,000 people.

Low Costs of Business and Manufacturing Operations

Armed with the workforce to get you up and running and an established manufacturing ecosystem, our business-friendly environment includes few regulatory and fiscal obstacles. Commercial utility and lease rates are well below the national average, helping to keep the cost of doing business low.

  • 7th lowest industrial natural gas total delivered cost with commercial energy rates 7.3% below national average. [U.S. Energy Information Administration] [C2ER COLI; 2022-Q1]
  • One of only eight constitutional right-to-work states.
  • Commercial construction cost index is 13.8% below national average. [RSMeans Data]
  • Average rent for industrial space is 35% below national average. [NAI Martens]

Insights

How Research is Supporting Advanced Manufacturing throughout region 

  • Fortune 50 company Deloitte partnered with Wichita State University to launch its first Industry 4.0 immersive experience and facility, The Smart Factory @ Wichita. The facility, located on the Wichita State University campus and projected to open Spring 2021, will bring together the digital, physical and experimental to show how Industry 4.0 (the future of manufacturing) spurs innovation. Read more about The Smart Factory @ Wichita in an article from Site Selection Magazine.
  • The U.S. Economic Development Association awarded a $2 million grant to Wichita State University to provide funding for essential equipment for the Advanced Technology Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS) at NIAR. ATLAS researchers developed an in-process inspection system that automatically identifies common manufacturing defects. Applying this process will improve part quality and help increase production rater for commercial and defense aircraft.
  • In early 2020 the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) at NIAR, together with Toray Advanced Composites, announced the release of a high-end thermoplastic material Toray Cetex® TC1225, offering high-temperature performance.

Next Steps

Andrew Nave

Executive Vice President of Economic Development

Andrew Nave

Contact our team to discover all the ways the Greater Wichita region can propel your manufacturing business towards the future.

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