Zekelman Industries to invest $120 million in its NEA Atlas Tube operations

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Zekelman Industries will invest up to $120 million to expand the manufacturing capabilities and product offerings of its subsidiary, Atlas Tube, in Mississippi County. The project will bring Zekelman’s total number of employees in the area to more than 300. It will also partner with Arkansas Northeastern College on a new workforce training initiative.

“Education and skills training are crucial to developing the next generation of workers. Our goal at Zekelman is to prepare, nurture and inspire students entering the thriving and well-paying steel industry,” said Tom Muth, chief operating officer. “Our commitment is representative of our partnership with the Blytheville community and ongoing dedication to domestic-only manufacturing. We are particularly grateful to Mayor Logan and Mississippi County for their continued support.”

A manufacturer of hollow structural sections and steel pipe, Zekelman currently operates two Atlas Tube facilities in Blytheville. Its new project will allow it to manufacture inline steel tube galvanizing products in size ranges not currently available in North America.

Zekelman Industries to invest $120 million in its NEA Atlas Tube operations

State of the State 2024: Manufacturing sector faces uncertainty, continued labor challenges in 2024

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Editor’s note: The State of the State series provides reports twice a year on Arkansas’ key economic sectors. The series publishes stories to begin a year and stories in July/August to provide a broad mid-year update on the state’s economy. Link here for the State of the State page and previous stories.

Arkansas’ manufacturing sector ended 2023 with an estimated 163,000 jobs, slightly lower than the 164,000 in December 2022. But the sector saw jobs grow to 165,300 jobs in June, the highest since 166,100 in April 2009.

Manufacturing, once the state’s largest jobs sector, posted record employment of 247,600 in February 1995. The sector fell to a historic low of 150,000 in April 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

U.S. manufacturing jobs totaled 12.979 million jobs in January 2024, up 0.3% compared with 12.942 million in January 2023. The U.S. manufacturing sector reached a record of 19.406 million jobs in August 1979.

State of the State 2024: Manufacturing sector faces uncertainty, continued labor challenges in 2024

Sig Sauer investing $150 million in Jacksonville facility, adding 625 new jobs

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

SIG SAUER, a firearms and ammunition manufacturer, will expand its manufacturing facility in Jacksonville. This expansion is expected to create 625 new jobs over the next five years.

“We are incredibly excited about expanding our ammunition operations here in Jacksonville and building upon years of success in Arkansas. This opportunity has proven itself essential to the growth and sustainment of our ammunition business, and further enforces our commitment to the Arkansas community and workforce,” said Ron Cohen, SIG SAUER president and CEO.

SIG SAUER will invest $150 million to expand its Jacksonville facility. The company will be investing in component hybrid case manufacturing, primer manufacturing, and load/pack operations to support multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. As part of the expansion, SIG SAUER will be developing a new 250,000-square-foot building to house parts of its manufacturing processes.

Sig Sauer investing $150 million in Jacksonville facility, adding 625 new jobs

State of the State Mid-Year 2023: Arkansas’ steel industry to bolster overall manufacturing sector

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The U.S. manufacturing sector has been soft in recent months, but Arkansas manufacturing job numbers are up more than 5% in the past two years. One sector advocate believes the job numbers would be higher if more people were in the workforce.

Manufacturing employment in Arkansas totaled 165,200 in July, up from 163,400 in July 2022 and above the 162,000 in the pre-pandemic July 2019. Manufacturing, once the state’s largest jobs sector, posted record employment of 247,600 in February 1995.

Among the three Arkansas metro areas with significant manufacturing activity, two have seen manufacturing job growth in the past five years. Manufacturing job numbers are up 6.3% in Northwest Arkansas during the past five years and up 9.3% in the Fort Smith metro. Manufacturing job numbers are down 6.5% in the Little Rock-North Little Rock metro in the past five years.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/state-of-the-state-mid-year-2023-arkansas-steel-industry-to-bolster-overall-manufacturing-sector/

Work continues on new Owens Corning plant; could open later this year

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Owens Corning on June 13 received its fourth building permit in the past two years at its new facility at 5401 Excelsior Drive. The recent permit issued by the city of Fort Smith was valued at $47.7 million.

In February 2021 the company began to build a new 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, adjacent to its existing plant on Planters Road. The global building and construction materials company announced in October it is investing in machinery and new construction at its existing plant. The estimated $115 million project is expected to add five jobs with an approximate annual salary of $85,000 per year.

The company has three other open building permits for the 5401 Excelsior Drive Location – a $4 million new construction project permitted on Sept. 14, 2021; a $15.4 million project listed as “other” permitted on Oct. 13, 2021; and $3.7 million “other” project permitted on July 2, 2021.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/work-continues-on-new-owens-corning-plant-could-open-later-this-year/

Unemployment Rate, and Job Growth in Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Food Services Encouraging, Governor Says

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas’s rate of unemployment in May remained stable at 4.4 percent, unchanged from April, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. The state’s unemployment rate remained below the national rate, as it has throughout the pandemic, according to the report, which the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services released today.

“The state’s unemployment rate continues to be more than a full percentage point below the national average,” Governor Asa Hutchinson said. “It is also encouraging that the state saw growth in jobs in manufacturing, hospitality, and food services. Our workforce is in a transition now. Some are seeking retraining opportunities and others are delaying their return to employment. With workforce training programs available and with the urgent demand for workers, this is an excellent time for those who left the labor force during the pandemic to transition to a higher-skills job or a better-paying job.”

Report: Heartland Region Poised for Industrial Resurgence as Firms Consider Reshoring

by Talk Business & Politics staff

A new report Wednesday (Feb. 3) from Bentonville think tank Heartland Forward highlights the need for a bipartisan strategy to bring manufacturers back to the U.S.

The new research, “Reshoring America: Can the Heartland Lead the Way?,” says the nation’s Heartland region can play a significant role in the country’s industrial comeback driven by reshoring, the return of manufacturing centers to the U.S. from abroad.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/02/report-heartland-region-poised-for-industrial-resurgence-as-firms-consider-reshoring/