Manufacturing and Light Assembly

With a Northwest Florida location, your company can get materials in and products out efficiently and cost effectively.  You can reach much of the southeastern U.S. within a one-day truck haul, the rest of the U.S. by rail, and internationally by ocean carrier. Your company can benefit from the following:

  • Being within close proximity to 12 automotive and 6 aerospace OEMs, making Northwest Florida a top location for aerospace and automotive industry suppliers
  • Nearly 800 manufacturers in the region, a manufacturing workforce of 54,000 within a one-hour drive time, and 3,000 separating military personnel each year ready to work for you
  • Three deep-water ports, two of which are Foreign Trade Zones, and access to four additional ports/FTZs
  • Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad has access to Class I Rail CSX & Norfolk Southern, and short lines
  • I-10 running from Jacksonville to Los Angeles, also connecting to I-65, I-75 and I-95
  • Available properties  on wide swaths of land with access to multimodal transportation networks

Southeast Manufacturing Cluster

Northwest Florida is in proximity to 13 Automotive OEMs and six Aerospace OEMs

GOOD compaNY

Your company will have the networking resources and connections to succeed in Northwest Florida. Two regional industry organizations are available to help you build relationships, bounce ideas and get advice.

Northwest Florida Manufacturers Council (NWFMC)

Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network (TeCMEN)

 

TRAINING PROGRAMS

Our educational institutions are ready to help you succeed in Northwest Florida. They also partner with NWFMC and TeCMEN and businesses to offer a wealth of career and technical training resources to help you remain competitive.

For example, the University of West Florida partnered with NWFMC and TeCMEN to offer members quality improvement training at no cost.  Each of our educational institutions is committed to supporting your workforce training needs.

 

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Port Panama City, with its six deep-water berths, Foreign Trade Zone status, and 200-acre Intermodal Distribution Center, is a significant regional asset, as is the Port of Pensacola. These assets, coupled with the new 4,000-acre Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City in Bay County, make Northwest Florida an ideal hub for international trade.  Learn more about Northwest Florida’s transportation infrastructure.

Northwest Florida is serviced by two investor-owned electric utilities and four electric membership cooperatives. These companies are:

Investor Owned Companies

Electric Membership Cooperatives through PowerSouth 

While electric rates are nationally competitive, special rates are available for industrial and other large customers.

Florida Gas Transmission Company is the natural gas provider in the region. The company is 100% owned by Citrus Corp — a joint venture between Kinder Morgan, Inc. and Energy Transfer. The company’s current infrastructure and capability include:

  • 5,500-mile pipeline system with extensive access to diverse natural gas supply sources
  • A supply capability of 2.3 Bcf/day of natural gas to the rapidly growing Florida peninsula

Business Cost Advantages

Northwest Florida will benefit from $1.5 billion in economic development enhancements, such as workforce training and infrastructure, over the next 15 years. Additionally, Florida ranks among the best states for business because of its pro-business tax policies and competitive cost of doing business.

Your company can benefit from inducements to help offset initial costs when locating a new or expanding your existing business in Northwest Florida. Moreover, your business dollars go further given the state's limited corporate taxes and your employees benefit from 0% state personal income tax.

Learn more about incentives available with a Northwest Florida location.

Leading Manufacturing Industry

Industry Type: Ratio to U.S. average:
Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing 24x more
Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing 8x more
Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing 7x more
Engineered Wood Member Manufacturing 4x more
Paper Mills 4x more
Turbine and Turbine Generator Set Units Manufacturing 4x more

Stationery Product Manufacturing

3x more
Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing 3x more
Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills 2x more
Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing 2x more
Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing 2x more
Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing 2x more

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Many of our R&D facilities in the region support manufacturing-related innovations, such as:

  • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
  • Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
  • Sea3D

Read more about our R&D and innovation assets…


Featured Companies

AUS

AUS Manufacturing Company is a full-service machining and fabrication facility with capabilities in CNC machining both in milling and turning. AUS specializes in Power Generation needs with a customer base of Power Utility Plants across the United States and overseas. They also provide made custom Made in the USA parts for customers in aerospace, defense, automotive and other industries.

BOTE

Born out of a love of the water, BOTE develops nationally acclaimed paddle boards that support its mission of “Stand Apart through industry-shaping innovation, fresh ideas and simplicity to create a product that defines a lifestyle.”

Cape Horn

Cape Horn is a family-owned and operated business steeped in tradition. Thirty years of refinement and innovation and a no-nonsense approach to offshore fishing has made Cape Horn the preeminent fishing boat company in Florida.

Central Moloney, Inc.

Central Moloney, Inc. is an ISO 9001-certified company manufacturing distribution transformers and transformer components. Since 1949, CMI has been delivering quality products on time with professional service and reliability every step of the way. CMI offers a wide variety of single-phase and three-phase distribution transformers including, overheads, pad mounts and submersibles. And for 40+ years, CMI has led the industry with innovative products to improve the quality and reliability of electrical power equipment.

ENVIVA

Enviva is a company with a passion to develop clean energy fuel sources, which they accomplish through their production of wood pellets. The Jackson County mill has a capacity of 700,000 metric tons per year and manufactures wood pellet fuel with a mix of untreated raw wood, waste wood, and residuals.  

Fort Walton Machining

Formed in 1987, Fort Walton Machining provides highly technical, zero-defects precision machining, delivered on time to its customers’ complete satisfaction. Employing approximately 200 employees, Fort Walton Machining is a woman-owned business that offers precision machining, custom machining, CNC machining, and precision CNC machining. As a recognized leader in the manufacturing and assembly of custom designed, precision-machined parts, Fort Walton Machining plays an extensive role in our region’s economy.

Glasstream Powerboats, Inc.

Established in 1983, Glasstream Powerboats, Inc. has a strong dealer network in the US and internationally. The company is a proven world leader in designing and creating advanced fuel-efficient center console boats with the dual inverted stepped hull. This unique low-drag design increases operational efficiency and stability.

Micro Systems

Micro Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is an AS9100 Rev. C and ISO 9001:2008 certified company. It is a world leader in high performance Air, Land, and Sea Surface vehicle control. It offers a broad range of products including Unmanned Vehicle Control Systems, Autopilots and Mission Computers, Radar Tracking and Command Data Link Transponders, Scoring Systems, Custom Test Equipment, and Flight Termination Systems.

On Point

On-Point Defense Technologies, LLC, is a veteran-owned, small business that supports the Department of Defense and Defense Companies by designing, developing, integrating, and testing commercial and defense products. On-Point Defense Technologies, LLC (OPDT) is a full-spectrum design, manufacturing, prototyping, and systems integration firm. It mitigates customer portfolio risks via upgrading, repurposing, and sustaining legacy weapon system technology — reducing cost and schedule while enhancing warfighter capabilities!

PALL

Since 1946, PALL has pushed the limits of science and technology to solve the most complex filtration, separation, and purification challenges. Drawing on their filtration, separation, and purification expertise, PALL collaborates with customers to solve their most complex challenges. From safeguarding health and protecting critical assets to improving quality and minimizing emissions and waste.

Patti Marine

Since 1977, the PATTI family has been producing award-winning ships. The company has built Ferries, Quarters Barges, Galley Barges, Research Vessels, Clam Vessels, Long-liners, Dinner Vessels, Trawlers, Anchor Tenders, Drift Collectors, Floating Machine Shops and River Towboats.

Scandy White

Scandy-White Boats is a custom boat manufacturer specializing in aluminum fabrication. The company also builds custom parts for automotive and recreational uses.

Southwire

Southwire's Crestview facility is is America's leading manufacturer of nylon cable ties. Located in Crestview, Florida, their state-of-the-art facility operates 24/7/365. It boasts the most advanced production processes in the U.S. They offer an extensive line of cable ties in a variety of lengths, tensile strengths, and colors, plus accessories such as mounting pads and cable clamps. Specialty products include EZ-Off™ ties, releasable ties, custom-printed ties, and HVAC duct straps. All cable ties use virgin nylon 6/6 to guarantee superior quality and are UL Listed, and Mil-Spec approved. It maintains a full inventory of all cable ties for Just-in-Time delivery from one of their four new stocking locations to their national distributor network.

TPR Systems, Inc.

Founded in 2002, TPR Systems, Inc specializes in stainless steel machining in Milton, FL. TPR Systems, Inc focuses on precision machining, manufacturing, and repair of turbine and stator parts.

Vertex Aerospace

Vertex Aerospace is a vertically integrated, one-stop shop for parts fabrication through end-item aerostructures, aircraft maintenance, and modifications. Vertex Aerospace offers its customers great value, high quality, and superb schedule performance.

 

CONTACT US

Florida’s Great Northwest is here to provide you the practical, on-the-ground resources and support you need for your business location/expansion project. From incentives to site selection to workforce development, we’ve got the expertise and connections to help your business be even more competitive with a Northwest Florida location.

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