During Manufacturing Month, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) salutes the hard-working Nebraskans making innovative products across the Cornhusker State.
Manufacturing is Nebraska’s top industry after agriculture, and it’s enjoying rapid growth. The National Association of Manufacturers reports that Nebraska’s total manufacturing output in 2021 was $16.88 billion. From 2017 to 2021 (the most recent years of data available) the state’s manufacturing output grew over $1 billion per year on average.
One in ten working Nebraskans is employed in manufacturing. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state’s manufacturing employment now exceeds 107,000; that’s the highest total in more than 20 years. Nebraska’s manufacturing industry offers great-paying jobs with average annual compensation of $75,000.
Nebraska’s manufacturing industry has close ties to agriculture. Thanks to inventions in irrigation, the state has become a global leader in center pivot manufacturing, led by Lindsay, Reinke, T-L Irrigation, and Valmont. By attracting investment from major food manufacturers, Nebraska is adding value to the crops and livestock grown on our family farms and ranches. For example, a rancher-owned processing facility—Sustainable Beef—is currently under construction in North Platte and expected to come online in 2025. Companies in Nebraska are processing beef, pork, poultry, and popcorn to help feed the world. In recent years, Nebraska also has seen the expansion of pet food manufacturers such as Instinct Pet Food in Lincoln and PetSource by Scoular in Seward. Additionally, Nebraska is home to several animal feed manufacturers. For example, Veramaris in Blair is using locally grown corn to manufacture fish feed for salmon farms.
Many of Nebraska’s manufacturers have been mainstays of their communities for generations. In August, Governor Jim Pillen and DED Director K.C. Belitz joined TSA Manufacturing in Omaha for its 50th anniversary celebration. In September, Nucor, the nation’s largest steel producer, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its bar mill in Norfolk. The company has a workforce of 1,200 in the Norfolk area. Besler Industries in Cambridge also marked its 50th anniversary this summer with a community cookout. It manufacturers farm equipment including bale loaders and tillage implements. These established companies exemplify the enduring success manufacturers have found in Nebraska.
Nebraska has successfully recruited international manufacturers. These firms have decided to invest in the Good Life due to Nebraska’s central location; well-educated workforce; and welcoming, business-friendly communities. In October 2022, French company Schneider Electric celebrated a half-century of business in Lincoln, where it manufacturers circuit breakers. In 2024, Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Nebraska. The company is making railcars for New York City’s subway system at its Lincoln location, along with smaller vehicles like jet skis and ATVs. German manufacturers in Nebraska include CLAAS, which makes harvesters, balers, and combines; Graepel, a manufacturer of perforated sheet metals; and Evonik, which produces animal feed ingredients. Earlier this month, DED teammates toured Agri-Plastics, a Canada-based manufacturer with U.S. operations in Sidney. Agri-Plastics located in Nebraska about five years ago. It now employs over 100 Nebraskans to make calf housing for clients across the world.
Manufacturers provide great jobs—and significant local investment—in small towns across the state. DED has invested Site and Building Development Funds (SBDF) to support the growth of many rural manufacturers. The funds assist communities in readying industrial sites and facilities to support economic growth. Grants can be used to acquire land, buy or construct buildings, renovate existing structures, or to develop land for industrial use. SBDF grants can also be used for planning, design, and engineering costs.
- SBDF helped Strobel Manufacturing in Clarks launch a location in Central City. The company manufactures machinery such as custom skids, row finishers, and mobile transloaders.
- Handlebend used SBDF to purchase and renovate the Shelhamer Building in downtown O’Neill where it handmakes copper mugs. Multiple other local small businesses have since co-located in the building, creating a hub of industry in Holt County.
- With support from SBDF, Accuma Corporation in Beatrice is expanding its plastics manufacturing operations with the construction of a 52,000 square-foot industrial building.
- Freedom Yurt-Cabins has expanded its capacity to manufacture circular, soft-sided tents at its facility in Sidney’s Industrial Park with the help of SBDF.
DED is thankful for the close cooperation of counties, municipalities, and local economic development organizations to support the growth of Nebraska manufacturers.
On behalf of the State of Nebraska, thank you to the thousands of manufacturing businesses that are building a great future for Nebraskans here in the Good Life!