Sector Spotlight: Manufacturing in Oklahoma City

Manufacturing remains an important economic sector in Oklahoma City, employing more than 34,000 people and accounting for 5% of the jobs in the metro.

“Manufacturing jobs are important in our region because their wages are 17% higher than the average wage across other industries,” explained Jeff Seymour, executive vice president of economic development at the Chamber. “We are seeing a real wave of manufacturing projects considering our market right now,” he continued. “Our business climate is attractive to these companies looking for an expansion site or new location.”

“Nationally, strong growth is predicted for this sector. The top trends in the industry center around resiliency: securing supply chains, finding ways to minimize disruptions, and investing in new technologies. We see that same focus with our local manufacturers and the projects considering Oklahoma City,” he continued.

Following a precipitous decline of manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2010, with the loss of major employers such as Lucent, General Motors and Bridgestone Firestone, the market has seen a mix of closings and job growth, with overall job growth of 5.4% in the last decade. This growth is slightly lower than the state (8.7% growth) or the nation (7.7%).

In total, there are currently 1,285 payrolled manufacturing business establishments in Oklahoma City.

A number of manufacturing announcements were made in the last 12 months, including an expansion at Malarkey Roofing Products, Bakery Bling, Mom’s Meals and Corken Products.

The manufacturing workforce is older than in other industries. Over the nearly 10,000 employed in the sector, nearly 28% are 55 or older, compared with only 23% in that same age bracket across other industries.

“For this industry to continue its growth, workforce development is going to be a critical factor,” said Seymour. “We have seen a decline in interest in jobs in this sector and it is going to be important to expose more students to the high earning potential in manufacturing.”

The five most common occupation titles employed in the OKC Manufacturing sector include assemblers & fabricators (2,427); welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (1,838); first-line supervisors of production and operating workers (1,544); laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, (908); and electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers (889).

In addition to the payrolls manufacturing brings to the market, the industry accounts for $4.5 billion, or 6% of total GDP for the metro. In comparison, the industry accounts for a larger 12% of GDP for both the state and the nation.

This article originally appeared in the March 2021 edition of The Point.