Montana Manufacturing Center - University Technical Assistance Program - Winter 2008 Newsletter

March 13, 2008

What we see happening in the Montana economy, especially in manufacturing, is exciting. Manufacturing output topped $8 billion last year up from $5 billion just a few years ago. Exports have nearly tripled since 2003, and more people are working! Manufacturing accounts for over 20 percent of Montana’s basic economy paying approximately $1.2 billion in worker earnings last year.

Manufacturing is expected to continue a fourth consecutive year of increased sales, employment and worker earnings. Encouraging news. But forward momentum must continue as the timeline for success is shrinking in today’s global economy.

Our entrepreneurial, innovative small manufacturing business owners are rising to the challenge of today’s economic reality: reinventing the business model, making significant workforce investments, taking pro-active cost saving measures, tackling new product development. Here is a sampling:

Full Newsletter: http://www.mtmanufacturingcenter.com/PDFs/winter08.pdf

Montana Manufacturing Center http://mtmanufacturingcenter.com/