This week is South Carolina Manufacturing Week and Gov. Henry McMaster issued a proclamation to raise awareness about the achievements and opportunities manufacturing provides to the state. So we want to build up your knowledge about how this growing sector impacts our lives every day.

Manufacturing is a big deal for SC business – accounting for 16% of the state’s gross domestic product + employing 12% of the workforce, which is about 239,500 South Carolinians.

There are more than 5,000 manufacturing businesses in SC + in 2016, manufacturers exported $30.7 billion in goods – approx. 97% of all exports.

South Carolina’s manufacturing history dates back to the late 19th century and by the 1930s, SC was the home of the two largest textile industries in the US. Today, there’s more diversity in the products made here, from automobiles and planes to medical devices and appliances. The Palmetto State is producing advanced products + the advanced materials to create them – including high-performance polyester fiber and carbon fiber.

The largest tire in the world is built at a Michelin facility in Lexington and Nephron Pharmaceuticals has been a leading resource in SC medication production and recently for hand sanitizer. Here is the latest progress on Nephron Pharmaceuticals’ expansion, which will create 380 new jobs + is expected to be finalized by early 2021.

Throughout 2020 and COVID-19, companies were able to pivot to support the community. Peralta Woodworks Inc., a family-owned company in Columbia, produces cabinetry, wood paneling + more recently, intubation boxes. Z-Verse also switched its business to produce hundreds of thousands of face shields daily out of its facility in Columbia as part of the #BeTheShield campaign.

Since 2011, manufacturers have created 70,000+ jobs in SC. However, experts are predicting a skills gap of over 2 million unfilled jobs due to an aging workforce and a shortage in new skilled production workers. To help combat this shortage + change the stigma of blue collar professions, state leaders started the Be Pro Be Proud program.

Be Pro Be Proud is a statewide program designed to educate students and the public on the importance and opportunity manufacturing jobs provide. A signature component of the program is the custom-designed semi-trailer that brings the training to students – with hands-on simulators from all trades, including welding + heavy equipment operation.

The mobile workshop has begun traveling to schools, fairs, career centers and military re-entry programs + is accepting applications for upcoming dates.

Find the next time the Be Pro Be Proud trailer will be in Columbia here.