We’d like to officially propose a new slogan for Lakeland, FL – “We make that here.” Why? Because from lottery tickets to cottage cheese and fragrance ingredients to fruit juices, we have a lot of locally made products.

We wanted to know more about what brings businesses to Lakeland and what they’re making. Here’s what we found.

Big biz

When you talk about locally made products, Lakeland has some heavy hitters (think Publix, The Pepsi Bottling Group + Pepperidge Farm). The Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area has a diverse manufacturing economy (ranked no. 8 in the nation for manufacturing jobs). Food manufacturing employs a large number of people, along with printing and machinery manufacturing. There’s no surprise then in us being recently ranked as one of the best places to work in manufacturing.

So what makes Lakeland a good home for these large-scale companies?

Workforce

Thanks in part to our growth rate (no. 10 in mid-sized metro job growth), Lakeland-Winter Haven has a strong labor pool. The current workforce is skilled – with a total employment of 232,400 and access to 10+ million people within a 100-mile radius specializing talent in distribution, tourism, logistics, health care, financial services, IT, aviation, and more – but there’s also a strong emphasis on preparing the next workforce. Polk County Public Schools has the second-highest number of National Career Academy Coalition accredited academies in the nation (that’s over 50, to be exact). Plus, we have six colleges and universities with 17,000 college students.

Location, location, location

~35 miles southwest, Tampa. ~55 miles northeast, Orlando. If you’re transporting goods by land, interstate 4 offers direct access to major markets. Other options for transportation include Lakeland Linder International Airport (for jet use and Amazon Prime) the CSX Rail Access, and two major airports (TPA and MCO) less than one hour away.

Business Climate

Florida has the fourth-best business tax climate in the country. Plus, the state has no individual income tax.

Aside from taxes + incentives, Lakeland promotes research and innovation – evidenced in programs like Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute and the Advanced Mobility Institute within Florida Polytechnic University.

Last (but certainly not least) Lakeland is a nationally recognized community – a.k.a. places people want to live. We’re well ranked as a safe place to live, the hottest housing market in the U.S., the most philanthropic city, and the top city to buy a home.

Screenshot from Lakeland Economic Development Council

Roll Call

So, who’s here and what are they making?

Publix – Bakery, deli, and dairy products.
Stryker – Medical device reprocessor.
Midstate Machine & Fab – Fabrication and general machining.
Mission Foods – Tortilla products.
Harell’s Inc. – Fertilizer blending.
Pepperidge Farm – Bakery products.
Keymark – Aluminum extrusions.
IGT – Lottery tickets.
Carpenter Company Inc. – Expanded polystyrene foam.
Refresco – Fruit juices.
JBT Food Tech – Citrus processing equipment.
MAX PAK – Corrugated containers.
Firmenich, Inc. – Flavors and essence.
Treatt USA – Flavors and fragrance ingredients.
Integrated Metal – Metal processing and fabrication.
Draken International – aircrafts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3pCViCnf5y/

Don’t forget the ‘little’ guys

The big names account for a lot of Lakeland’s reputation as a manufacturing hub, but the mid-size + small businesses are an important part of our economic fabric.

Lakeland has resources that target the specific needs of mid-small sized businesses – like the Chamber’s Leads Groups, Business After Hours, and New Business 101 sessions. Catapult Lakeland provides educational programs, workshops, and mentoring opportunities for entrepreneurs. Additional resources include the Lakeland Economic Development Council, Lakeland CRA, Central Florida SCORE, and many more.

Roll Call

Here are a few (of the many) mid-level to small businesses in Lakeland.

Patriot Coffee Roasters – Coffee.
Brew Hub – Craft Beer.
Southern Milling & Lumber, Inc. – Lumber processing and pallets.
PlayCore – Commercial playground equipment.
Maclan Corporation – Synthetic rubber.
Alaso – Poultry equipment.
Insulfoam – Polystyrene insulation.
Rubber & Accessories, Inc. – Hoses, couplings + conveyor belts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbUhDNtA3MD/

The main takeaway is this: Lakeland is an attractive environment for businesses. We have a growing workforce, prime location, and resources to support a variety of industries.