Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing: Iowa's Largest Industry

Iowa knows how to make it happen (and how to make just about anything). Food products, medical devices, construction machinery or aerospace electronics, our advanced manufacturing industry brings Iowa innovation to the world. As the state’s largest industry, it accounts for 17% of our GDP, contributing $35 billion annually to the state’s economy. And we’re a recognized national leader too – Iowa consistently ranks among the top 5 states in percentage of manufacturing GDP.

Iowa is perfectly positioned to export products around the globe, connected through a robust transportation network with access to air, water, rail and highway. In addition, Iowa’s skilled talent pool and state-of-the-art training and research programs at our colleges and universities offer a wealth of workforce resources. Manufacturers are in good hands here – companies can find a network of resource providers with the expertise, collaboration and support to remain on the industry’s leading edge.

Seizing the Manufacturing 4.0 Opportunity: A Strategic Plan for Iowa's Manufacturing Industry

Prepared By: TEConomy Partners, LLC

Manufacturing, a critical industry sector for Iowa, faces a technology revolution that emphasizes automation and smart technology. While the Manufacturing 4.0 plan is primarily focused on advancing technology adoption and utilization among Iowa’s manufacturers, it further addresses enhancements in the broader manufacturing ecosystem.

The Advanced Manufacturing Work Group, a subgroup of the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Iowa Innovation Council, led the Manufacturing 4.0 initiative with support from TEConomy Partners, manufacturing leaders and IEDA.

For more information on Iowa's Manufacturing 4.0 initiative, including resources and programs for the state's manufacturers, visit iowamfg.com.

Iowa Leads In

Ag & Construction Equipment

Food & Ingredients

Renewable Energy

Transportation

IOWA'S GDP

Manufacturing represents 18.2% of Iowa’s GDP and exports over $26 billion worth of goods.
CENTRALLY LOCATED

Iowa's central location and network of air, water, rail and highway systems is designed for commerce.
OPERATIONS IN IOWA

Almost a third of the largest 100 food manufacturers have operations in Iowa, the No. 1 producer of eggs, corn and pork.
MACHINERY

Iowa has the highest concentration of machinery manufacturing employees in the U.S.

Innovation at Agri-Industrial Plastics

Fairfield, Iowa is Home to State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Facility

AIP Founder Dick Smith and President Lori Schaefer-Weaton

It would be fitting if giant welcome mats were at each entrance of the 340,000-square-foot Agri-Industrial Plastics Company (AIP) facility in Fairfield.

“We love opening our doors and letting people see who we are, what we do and how we do it,” said President Lori Schaefer-Weaton. “We are always willing to give tours and hope that long term, it may change any misconceptions about our company, working in manufacturing and Iowa’s impact on the industry.”

Most recently, AIP launched Iowa's first solar and Tesla Powerpack project to control energy cost. Using technology designed by another Iowa-based firm, the company now incorporates solar and energy storage to become more energy efficient. It does this using a roof-mounted solar array working in tandem with a Tesla battery energy storage system.