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Gov. Rauner cites talent pool, transportation assets as manufacturer draws

information provided by the Office of the Governor

“Manufacturing is the key to our prosperity,” said Governor Bruce Rauner at the International Manufacturing Technology Show. (Photo provided)
CHICAGO, Ill. (September 16, 2018) — During last week’s manufacturing trade show—the largest in America—Governor Bruce Rauner told exhibitors that Illinois remains an ideal home for companies that are looking for a highly skilled workforce and a transportation infrastructure that is unmatched in its ability to support worldwide distribution.

Rauner made his remarks during a visit to the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), which was organized by the Association For Manufacturing Technology and took place last week at McCormick Place in Chicago. This is the first time that IMTS has partnered with Germany’s Hannover MESSE, producer of the world’s largest manufacturing tech show, to highlight the global significances of the sector.

“Chicago is the epicenter of American industrial enterprise and it is the perfect place to display the incredible new technologies being deployed by modern manufacturing companies,” Rauner said.

“Modern manufacturing requires highly skilled labor,” he continued. “Illinois is a tremendous source of talent for manufacturers. We’re a leading technology innovation center. We’re a top STEM state. We’re a leader in apprenticeship programs, vocation and technical skills development. Our universities are among the greatest engineering schools in the country.”

“We’re also investing in our transportation and distribution infrastructure,” said Rauner, pointing to the $500 million 75th Street Rail Corridor project as an example. “There is no place in the country that can match our ability to get goods and people from one place to another.”

Rauner noted the multiplier effect of manufacturing when it comes to economic output, job growth, and wages. He also said that the sector is responsible for two-thirds of the nation’s private research and development.

“The companies that make things contribute so much to our economy and our quality of life,” Rauner said. “Our state’s total manufacturing output in 2016 was over $100 billion and we exported $55 billion. About 600,000 Illinoisans are employed by manufacturers, and more than 1,900 foreign firms have a presence here. It is a tremendous force for good.”

Rauner also visited the exhibit of Sodick Inc., a Japan-based leader in electronic discharge machining (EDM) that opened a new North American headquarters in Schaumburg earlier this year.

 

The Lansing Journal
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