Why are manufacturers heading to America’s south? This is a question I’m provoked to ask, as more and more manufacturing facilities and engineering job opportunities appear in the south.
In recent news, Huntsville, Ala., saw the official opening of the Boeing Research and Technology center on June 18. The facility will stand as the company’s hub for collaborative technology development with academic institutions and research partners in analytics and simulation.
The 80,000 square foot laboratory will employ 220 engineers, technicians and staff developing a long list of technologies, including:
- simulation and analytics,
- systems analysis,
- composite materials,
- metals and ceramics propulsion,
- avionics systems and sensors
- and communication and sensing.
The Boeing Alabama team has lab space equipped with autoclaves that heat-treat composite materials, an accelerated rate calorimeter to test heat reactions, machines to test the properties of metals and computers to simulate test vehicle management systems.
The South’s appeal isn’t entirely new; there are already plenty of theories as to why this may be occurring in the manufacturing industry. The most commonly suggested explanation being the southern states’ “right-to-work” laws. Companies are also free to take advantage of state and local-funded business incentives, convenient transportation routes, the region’s lower cost of living and other pro-business policies.
What are your thoughts on the South’s manufacturing boom? Let us know in the comments below.