Senior Manager of Business Development, Merrill Holden, served as a representative of Intersect Illinois at Defense Manufacturing Industry Day.
Intersect Illinois recently partnered with IMEC (Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center) on Illinois Defense Manufacturing Industry Day. The day provided a unique opportunity for decision-makers to connect with a like-minded ecosystem and explore synergies that will drive the future of defense manufacturing in Illinois.
Attendees participated in a series of workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions, providing insight into how businesses can leverage Illinois’ unique attributes and benefits to accelerate growth in the defense sector. Session highlights included cybersecurity in manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and the future of advanced manufacturing technologies.
Intersect Illinois Interim CEO, Paulina San Millan, participated on the panel “Fostering Ecosystem Partnerships for Defense Industry Growth in Illinois”
Intersect Illinois interim CEO Paulina San Millan took part in the panel discussion “Fostering Ecosystem Partnerships for Defense Industry Growth in Illinois,” exploring the role of collaboration in supporting Illinois’ defense industry. The group discussed economic opportunities, strategies, and the importance of building strong partnerships.
Why Illinois is a Great Place for Defense Manufacturing Growth
As new innovations within the military and defense sectors arise, the industry must keep up to meet demand. Illinois leads the way in defense manufacturing; here are some reasons why:
#1: Influential Operations
Illinois is home to three National Guard installations and three active-duty military bases including:
- Naval Station Great Lakes (Navy) — the Navy’s largest training installation and only boot camp. It covers 1,600+ acres, and includes 20,000+ sailors, marines, soldiers, and DoD civilians.
- Rock Island Arsenal (Army) — includes 80 tenant organizations and 6,000+ military, civilian, and contractor personnel.
- Scott Air Force Base (Air Force) — the headquarters of the United States Transportation Command, among other DOD efforts. It also includes 15,000+ person workforce of active-duty personnel, civilians, contractors, Air National Guard, and reserves.
These operations, along with others like the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in St. Louis and the Illinois Defense Manufacturing Consortium, make the state a premier location for companies serving the defense industry to grow.
#2: Industry Presence and Workforce
The defense industry in Illinois is strong:
- The defense & security cluster in Illinois employs 239K people (9th nationally, 1st in the Midwest).
- Illinois is home to 18.8K business locations in the defense & security cluster (8th nationally, 1st in the Midwest), which contributed $36.8B to the economy in 2023 alone.
- Illinois’ St. Clair County — located in the St. Louis metro area — alone is home to 7.8K defense & security cluster jobs, a 62% higher workforce concentration than the national average.
Illinois’ strong military presence provides a wide range of opportunities for businesses to collaborate and provide essential equipment, products, or services. Additionally, a deep pool of skilled individuals with expertise in various defense-related fields ensures a steady supply of qualified talent to move your company’s needle.
#3: Defense Spending and Industry Investments
Over the past five years, roughly $33B of Department of Defense awards have come to Illinois.
- Just last month the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) — A DoD subagency focused on cutting– edge/next–generation research — announced its “Quantum Proving Ground” will be located at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.
With its strong industry presence, skilled workforce, proximity to defense centers and continued investments, the future of defense manufacturing is in Illinois.
Did you miss Defense Manufacturing Industry Day 2024? Subscribe to our mailing list to be notified of next year’s event, which is sure to be even bigger.
Interested in learning more about what Illinois can do for you? Get in touch with our team today, and let’s talk growth for your business.
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