Advancing Minnesota's Manufacturing Economy.
Market intelligence, industrial growth strategy, workforce development, supply-chain relationships, technology adoption, and business infrastructure for Minnesota manufacturers.
Manufacturing remains central to Minnesota's economy.
Minnesota manufacturers transform raw materials, components, and technologies into products used throughout the United States and international markets.
The industry includes food production, medical devices, electronics, machinery, fabricated metals, chemicals, plastics, transportation equipment, and specialized industrial products.
Manufacturing growth depends on more than production capacity. Companies must coordinate suppliers, skilled employees, equipment, quality systems, distribution, customer relationships, and long-term capital investment.
For emerging and established manufacturers, stronger business infrastructure creates opportunities to compete for contracts, improve operations, and enter new markets.
An industry generating billions in economic activity.
Minnesota DEED reports manufacturing as one of the state's most significant industries for economic output, international trade, and private-sector wages.
$27.3 Billion in Annual Wages
Manufacturing workers collectively earned approximately $27.3 billion in 2025, representing the second-largest total payroll among Minnesota private-sector industries.
6,600 Job Vacancies in 2025
Minnesota's Job Vacancy Survey reported approximately 6,600 manufacturing vacancies in 2025. This measures unfilled positions, not net employment growth.
Sources: Minnesota DEED CareerForce Manufacturing industry profile; DEED 2025 Job Vacancy Survey. Economic contribution, export values, wages, and employment represent different measures.
Manufacturing opportunities across multiple subsectors.
Minnesota's manufacturing economy includes both traditional production industries and advanced technology manufacturers.
Medical Devices & Life Sciences
Medical equipment, instruments, devices, components, and specialized manufacturing serving healthcare markets.
Machinery & Industrial Equipment
Production machinery, agricultural equipment, industrial systems, automation, and engineered components.
Fabricated Metals & Precision Manufacturing
Metal fabrication, machining, tooling, structural components, and contract manufacturing.
Food & Agricultural Processing
Food manufacturing, ingredient production, packaging, processing, and related agricultural supply chains.
Electronics & Advanced Technology
Electronic instruments, computer components, sensors, and high-precision production systems.
Materials & Specialty Products
Plastics, rubber, chemicals, paper, wood products, furniture, and specialized manufactured goods.
Manufacturing extends throughout Greater Minnesota.
Industrial activity is distributed across the Twin Cities metropolitan area and Minnesota's regional communities. Industry specialization varies by location.
Geographic reference map of Minnesota. It does not represent individual factory locations or employment density.
Manufacturing Across Minnesota
28,900 Manufacturing Jobs
DEED reports nearly 600 manufacturing establishments in Southwest Minnesota, accounting for 16.5% of regional employment.
1.6 Location Quotient
The region's manufacturing concentration is approximately 1.6 times the national average, the highest concentration among Minnesota planning regions.
Source: DEED, The Importance of Manufacturing in Southwest Minnesota, September 15, 2026.
Productivity is changing the future of manufacturing.
DEED projects modest net manufacturing employment declines over the coming decade, even as replacement hiring and selected subsector growth continue.
320,575
Estimated manufacturing employment
314,849
Projected manufacturing employment
−5,726
Projected change in employment
−1.8%
Projected 10-year industry change
Technology & Automation
Automation, advanced equipment, and process improvements may allow manufacturers to increase output without proportional employment growth.
Workforce Replacement Demand
CareerForce projects more than 92,000 openings for manufacturing production positions through 2034 when retirements, occupational transitions, and new positions are considered.
Source: DEED 2024–2034 Employment Projections. Employment projections are forecasts, not actual job counts for 2034.
Not every manufacturing subsector is moving alike.
Selected DEED projections show both growth and decline across Minnesota's manufacturing specialties.
2024 Employment by Selected Subsector
These are selected subsectors, not the complete manufacturing workforce.
Projected Change / 2024–2034
Modest projected employment growth
Modest projected employment growth
Projected net employment decline
Projected net employment decline
Projected net employment decline
Employment changes do not directly measure sales, profitability, productivity, or business formation.
Where manufacturers can strengthen competitive advantage.
Manufacturing growth requires coordination between market demand, sales, operations, workforce capabilities, and financial planning.
B2B Marketing & Lead Generation
Improve industrial websites, search visibility, technical product information, buyer education, quote requests, and sales pipelines.
Supplier & Distribution Relationships
Develop supplier communications, procurement readiness, channel partnerships, and systems for responding to commercial opportunities.
Workforce & Employer Branding
Strengthen recruitment messaging, employee communications, training partnerships, and workforce development strategies.
Digital Systems & CRM
Connect customer inquiries, sales activities, order visibility, internal workflows, and management reporting.
Market Expansion & Product Positioning
Evaluate new customer segments, industry applications, distribution opportunities, competitive positioning, and export readiness.
Operational Planning & Capacity
Align business objectives, production capabilities, team responsibilities, service standards, and performance measures.
Connecting market demand, operations & business development.
Creative Holdings LLC supports strategic alignment across the business functions responsible for sustainable growth.
Understand the Business
Evaluate products, customers, capacity, sales processes, and growth barriers.
Clarify Market Value
Define differentiation, target industries, messaging, and commercial opportunities.
Strengthen Infrastructure
Improve websites, CRM, communications, partnerships, and internal workflows.
Evaluate Performance
Track inquiries, opportunities, conversion, customer retention, and operational outcomes.
Is your manufacturing business prepared for its next stage?
Review these business foundations to identify areas for strategic development and investment.
0 of 8 areas reviewed
This is a business-planning exercise, not a certification or operational audit.
Research, workforce tools & business development resources.
Minnesota manufacturers can use state and regional resources to inform workforce planning, economic development decisions, and market expansion.
DEED Manufacturing Data
Employment, wages, industry trends, regional information, and projections.
Business Expansion in Minnesota
State information about advanced manufacturing, business development, and Minnesota's industry strengths.
Employment & Workforce Research
Labor market projections, job vacancies, and regional employment information.
Minnesota Manufacturing Data & Sources
Research compiled from Minnesota DEED, CareerForce, and published labor market information. Data years and measurement methods vary by source.
Manufacturing Employment & Wages
The 2025 manufacturing employment, wage, GDP, and export figures come from the DEED CareerForce manufacturing industry profile. These are historical measures, not employment projections.
Employment Projections
DEED's 2024–2034 employment projections model potential industry employment changes. They are forecasts and do not measure company revenue or output.
Regional Manufacturing
Southwest Minnesota's 2025 manufacturing employment, establishment count, and location quotient are from DEED's September 2026 regional analysis. Other regional examples describe common industry specializations rather than a ranked comparison.
Industry Classification
Manufacturing generally corresponds to NAICS sectors 31–33. Related logistics, wholesale, engineering, and professional services may be classified in other industries.
Business Assistance & Funding
Eligibility for state programs, incentives, financing, or grants depends on the specific program, applicant, location, and current availability. This page does not represent an offer of funding.
Research snapshot: October 31, 2026. Figures should be reviewed as new state data becomes available.
Strengthen your manufacturing business & market position.
Creative Holdings LLC is an integrated business growth firm helping organizations align business strategy, communications, digital infrastructure, and operations.
Whether you're expanding production, seeking new commercial customers, improving your website, or strengthening your business systems, we can help define a practical path forward.