Montana Ahead in Manufacturing Growth

When most people think of Montana, the first thing that might come to mind are wide open spaces and a lot of nature. It’s known as the “Big Sky State” for a reason. But Montana also has a higher rate of growth in manufacturing than the national average, according to Paul Polzin, an economist with the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Basically, Montana’s manufacturing employment grew between 4%-5% annually since 2010. The U.S., as a whole, saw manufacturing growth between 2%-3%. Polzin indicated that the sector would continue to grow steadily at 2% in 2017, the same rate it posted during the past two years. Though permanent plants have closed due to the declining availability of saw timber, wood products is still the state’s largest manufacturing sector, as measured by employment. Additionally, fabricated metal products and beverage manufacturing have also experienced upticks.

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