Manufacturing Outlook: Manufacturers Fancy Some Cornbread & Fried Chicken

Manufacturing Outlook brings you the latest opinion and insight on manufacturing and the role ERP software can play in the industry. This week’s article from Bobby Rudder, VP of Marketing and Communications at Godlan, looks at the surge of aerospace and automotive manufacturing in the southern states.

Fried chicken, cornbread and southern hospitality are about to be introduced to a whole new generation of transplants. The south has always had a charming appearance that entices visitors with its rich history, traditions, and sights to see. Many of those visitors have made the south their home as they retired. And for these "southern transplants", there is a diverse and inviting countryside that awaits.

Recently, however, the allure of the south has gone beyond just a hospitable place to live or retire by establishing itself as a hotbed for the manufacturing industry. All of that is nice, but there’s something else…

According to Pamela M. Prah's article, "Aerospace manufacturing takes off in South", Southern states and Washington state are the only states to see positive job growth in the aerospace industry.

Ingredients for Manufacturing Success

So why is the South becoming so popular among aerospace and automotive & OEM manufacturing? If you leave out the fried chicken & cornbread, there are still several reasons. The South has a lower cost of living, lower taxes, lower land values, and right-to-work laws. And let's not forget the state incentive packages that are fatter than hog on slaughter day.

You see, the auto industry had already discovered the benefits of building production facilities in the south. Mecedes-Benz, Nissan Motors, Volkswagon, and BMW already call the South home. In fact, BMW is just about to expand their operations in South Carolina.

Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream Aerospace and GE Aviation (just to name a few) have also called the south home. In fact, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft is built in North Charleston, SC.

And while all those initiatives were already underway or in place, President Obama named Raleigh, North Carolina as one of the manufacturing hub locations, solidifying the south as a region of manufacturing innovation.

As these two sectors continue to grow and competition heats up, it is going to be important to have a region that provides financial incentives and that draws from this innovation we’re talking about. It seems that the south has all of the ingredients for manufacturing success.

ERP software offers the flexibility and innovation that these industries require when relocating or establishing new bases of operation. Automotive manufacturers require lean and flexible supply chains, while the aerospace industry requires a high level of operational efficiency in order to compete in a fixed contract environment.