Although the manufacturing industry hit its peak in the U.S around 1969, about 7.5 million jobs have been lost nationwide in the 50 years of industrial decline that followed.

But there is good news. The manufacturing sector is making a comeback here in the United States. What’s more, it’s becoming quite the big deal in Huntsville-Madison County.

To find the best places to work, specific to the manufacturing sector, SmartAsset recently analyzed data for 378 metropolitan areas. This data was then evaluated with regards to manufacturing jobs as a percent of the total workforce, employment growth, income growth, and home affordability.

To further fine-tune its findings, SmartAsset relied on the most recent unemployment data, using it to factor in the overall impact of COVID-19.

According to study, the Huntsville metro area made it into to the top ten out of the 378 metro areas surveyed. In fact, Huntsville ranks number 6, just below neighboring Cleveland, Tennessee.

According to the chart, the South and the Midwest have both experienced growth spurts in manufacturing. Though many of the individual metro areas are different, these two historic manufacturing industry hubs dominated the top 10 in the SmartAsset study for the second year in a row.

When evaluating Alabama’s top industries, transportation equipment manufacturing ranks as the state’s largest industrial sector, employing 47,247 workers. Food processing ranks second with 34,179 jobs, while third-ranked fabricated metal products accounts for 31,562 jobs.

The ushering in of a new era in manufacturing in North Alabama speaks volumes regarding the quality of life and subsequent growth of the community. It translates into bigger and better opportunities; creating more available jobs, coupled with more revenue brought into the region.

The North Alabama manufacturing base consists of a diverse mix – both traditional and technology manufacturers – that make up roughly one-fifth of the overall local area employment.

The area’s manufacturing sector is made up of over 220 companies with 32,000 employees. Many of those workers being trained and developing the skills needed to perform technology-based precision manufacturing.

The population has been growing a rate that surpasses state and national averages. Manufacturing labor is a significant portion of the overall labor force. Huntsville’s metro area has the capacity and can sustain another 7,000 manufacturing jobs through 2022.

The area’s well-developed interstate, rail, and air cargo infrastructure make North Alabama ideal for the manufacturing industry. The Port of Huntsville’s Huntsville International Airport is home to Foreign Trade Zone #83 and the International Intermodal Center,as well as U.S. Customs. There are also over 30 foreign based companies with manufacturing and business operations in Madison County.

There’s a lot of encouragement to bring manufacturing to the Rocket City. The Huntsville-Madison Chamber of Commerce has industry retention and expansion initiatives in place. These initiatives enhance business growth for industry and entrepreneurs alike. As the metro area continues to grow, it is important to have a diverse set of industries. It’s good for the local economy as well as the community.

To learn more about the Chamber’s manufacturing industry initiatives, go to: https://asmartplace.com/

To access the SmartAsset data, go to: https://smartasset.com/data-studies/best-places-to-work-in-manufacturing-2021