Florida Ranked First for U.S. Aviation Manufacturing Attractiveness

Press Release

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida ranked first overall in U.S. aviation manufacturing attractiveness in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Aviation's Second Gold Age: Can the U.S. aircraft industry maintain leadership? The U.S. aviation manufacturing attractiveness index ranked Florida's talent first, Florida's industry ninth, and Florida's cost sixth for an overall ranking of first in the nation. The PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP study used a weighted average of the following variables: costs, workforce, and number of aerospace companies. Texas was ranked second and Washington ranked third.

Governor Scott said, "We fought last session to build up Florida manufacturing by removing the tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment, so more Florida families would have access to great jobs -- and it's working. This ranking is great news for our state and helps us to recruit more manufacturing businesses to move to or expand in Florida. Thanks to our success, aviation manufacturing companies like Embrarer, the Aviation Partners Group (APG) and OMA SUD partnership, Aveo Engineering, and BRS Aerospace are relocating and expanding in Florida."

Florida's manufacturing sector is a leading industry with more than 17,500 manufacturing companies employing 311,300 workers around the state. This past spring, Governor Scott worked with the Legislature to eliminate the sales tax on manufacturing equipment, helping to facilitate the growth of the manufacturing industry.

"Every day, we are working hard to put policies in place that make Florida the leading state in the nation for business and economic growth. PwC's recognition of our thriving aviation manufacturing sector is further proof that these policies are working," said Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Manufacturing accounted for 93 percent of Florida's exports in 2012 and the state ranks first in the nation in Manufacturing Export Intensity, the percentage of our total manufactured goods that are exported. For every dollar invested in manufacturing goods, it creates another $1.43 of activity in other sectors--a multiplier that is double that of the service sector in Florida.

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