Lowcountry Recognized as Manufacturing Boomtown

Reviewing the data of the 100 largest metropolitan areas from a Brookings' report, 24/7 Wall St. has dubbed the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metro region as a top 10 manufacturing region.

The Charleston region has contributed to the growth seen across the nation, according to 24/7 Wall St. The website ranked the region 10th.

Here are the numbers:

• Manufacturing contribution to export growth: 88.6%
• GDP (2010): $25.8 billion (18th smallest)
• Exports share of GDP: 11.4% (29th highest)
• Exports growth rate (2009 – 2010): +15.5% (8th highest)
• Change in GDP (2009 – 2010): +2.4%

24/7 Wall St. wrote:

Among the largest private employers in the Charleston metropolitan area are aircraft manufacturer Boeing South Carolina and auto parts manufacturer Robert Bosch. According to the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, Charleston is the fastest growing mid-size metropolitan area for aircraft manufacturing in the U.S. From 2000 to 2009, the area’s skilled manufacturing workforce grew by more than 5%, while nationally it fell by 28%. In 2010, the region had the eighth-largest growth rate of exports in the country compared to 2009, at 15.5%. It also added 530 export production jobs over that period.

The No. 1 metropolitan area for booming manufacturing is Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis.

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