October is observed nationwide as Manufacturing Month, and locally, it's an important time to recognize those who design, build, operate, maintain, and innovate the products that drive Chautauqua County's economy. That from Todd Tranum, Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST), who was a call-in guest on WDOE's "Viewpoint" program on Thursday. Tranum says the county is still considered to be a manufacturing community...
Todd Tranum: county generates $5.1 billion annually
Tranum says the major challenge manufacturers face today is building a workforce, and that's where MAST and Dream It Do It Western New York have played a role...
Todd Tranum: grown and expanded across Western New York
Across the five-county region of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Erie and Niagara counties, more than 1,600 manufacturers employ about 70,000 people and generate $26.8 billion in annual shipments. Manufacturing accounts for approximately 12% of the region's workforce, higher than the national figure of 8%. In Chautauqua County, manufacturing accounts for roughly 18% of its workforce.
Click here to listen to the entire "Viewpoint" interview featuring Todd Tranum.
Todd Tranum offers his thoughts on connecting manufacturers to the burgeoning semiconductor industry in Western New York with other business and economic development officials during a semiconductor luncheon in Lakewood. Submitted photo
