Here at the CEP we are big believers in Manufacturing. We believe that we you make stuff, you make wealth.
Manufacturing is a key component to our local economy. We have a strong, diverse manufacturing sector locally. Companies in the metro make everything from fire engines to missile control systems, cake sprinkles to hurricane impact windows and everything in between. With more than 12,000 employees, the Ocala Metro manufacturing sector is one of the largest in Florida.
AdvisorSmith, a business consultancy, ranked the Ocala Metro as a top mid-sized metro (250,000 to 750,000) for manufacturing. The area ranked in the Top 20 of ALL metros for manufacturing output growth and for manufacturing employment growth. Additionally, the Ocala Metro has consistently been ranked near the top in the growth of our manufacturing employment throughout 2021 and 2022
The strength of our manufacturing sector was very much highlighted during the pandemic when our companies not only kept employment strong but grew it throughout 2020.
The diversity of our manufacturing is significant with companies as diverse as Lockheed Martin (our largest manufacturing employer), REV Fire: E-ONE (fire engines!0, Custom Windows a Pella Corporation, Cardinal LG’s two facilities and a R&D center, Signature Brands (sprinkles), and Artemis Plastics (medical devices).
We have shared broadly about the more than 13 million sq ft of industrial spec space currently being constructed in the Ocala Metro. Unique from many of our Florida competitors, we anticipate approximately 40% of this space being taken by manufacturing companies. We are close to finalizing at least a couple of manufacturing projects and hope to have them announced later this year.
Chief Growth Officer
One of the much-discussed aspects of the CEP’s economic development approach is the equal focus on Business Attraction (recruiting new primary employers and healthcare-related companies), Business Retention (working with existing primary employers, identifying their barriers to growth, and working to remove those barriers), and Business Creation (assisting current and future entrepreneurs). Not only do we have teams specifically devoted to each of these areas, but we work collaboratively across teams to work and support our business community. To further these efforts and to prepare for future growth, we have hired a Chief Growth Officer to lead these teams.
Heather Shubirg will be starting in June in this position. Heather has served in executive leadership roles with Enterprise Florida (the state economic development organization), the Orlando Economic Partnership, and most recently, Team Volusia where she served as EVP. Heather brings broad knowledge and understanding of economic development in our state and is widely regarded as an industry leader. We are extremely excited to have Heather joining the CEP team.
We are just beginning to see the fruit of years of hard but diligent work to grow and diversify this local economy. This community is certainly focused on maintaining our Forward Momentum!
