Advanced manufacturing, particularly in the automotive sector, has been one of the industries driving Middle Tennessee’s economy since Nissan located an assembly plant in Smyrna in the early 1980s. Since that time, General Motors has also established strong operations in Middle Tennessee, and Nissan has increased its manufacturing presence, as well as locating its headquarters in Williamson County. We’ve also seen tremendous growth in the number of supporting companies that make automotive parts. Just since July, expansions and relocations from automotive suppliers such as Magna International and M-Tek have accounted for a total of more than 960 jobs.
According to a new study by the Brookings Institute, the Nashville region has had more job growth in advanced manufacturing since the recession than any other metro area in the country, largely due to the success of auto manufacturers. For the purposes of the research, Brookings defined advanced manufacturers as companies where at least one in five employees specializes in technology, engineering, science or math.
The future of advanced manufacturing in Middle Tennessee remains bright. As Nissan’s local manufacturing plants continue to grow, the automaker has teamed with the Tennessee Board of Regents to build a $35 million education and training facility in Smyrna. The center will prepare workers for advanced manufacturing jobs, including engineering, robotics and manufacturing maintenance.
Our Partnership 2020 strategic plan for economic growth envisions a diverse economy with a focus on five target industries: advanced manufacturing, corporate operations, health care, music, entertainment and creative fields, and supply-chain management. We identified these industries based on their strong potential for creating jobs and their significant presence in our region.
Since 1990, P2020 has been focused on economic prosperity in our 10-county Middle Tennessee region, helping the Nashville area remain economically competitive with peer cities around the nation and world. The phenomenal growth we’ve experienced in recent years speaks for itself. Coming off our most successful year yet in terms of job creation, in which the region welcomed 19,525 new jobs, we’re on track for another outstanding year in 2015.
