BY KEVIN BESSLER WITH THE ILLINOIS RADIO NETWORK

A University of South Carolina study that was recently released discovered that manufacturing is responsible for $2.5 billion in economic impact in Illinois’ Jackson and Williamson counties.

Across the state, the study’s estimated annual economic impact from manufacturing is between $580 billion and $611 billion each year, according to The Southern. 

“Related to rural communities broadly, but also specifically in southern Illinois that … there is a greater share of jobs and earnings that come from manufacturing than we find in urban communities,” Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center President David Boulay told The Center Square.

Boulay is an expert in performance management, small business development and organizational growth strategies at IMEC.

“There are a number of what we call manufacturing-dependent counties,” Boulay said. “In other words, 20% or more of their jobs come from the manufacturing sector, and we still have over 20 Illinois counties, southern Illinois counties, rural counties that are manufacturing dependent.”

When Boulay says 20%, he refers to counties like Williamson County, where 5,454 manufacturing jobs generate over $316 million in overall salaries and benefits. The overall economic impact in Williamson County is $1.9 billion, according to The Southern.

“I think when you start to think of the meaning of this as a job and economic driver that one factory truly can be the lifeblood of a community,” Boulay said.

In Jackson County, manufacturing jobs include 1,942 employees who earn $101 million in annual pay and benefits, according to The Southern. This makes up an economic impact of $594.8 million from the county.

Boulay says southern Illinois manufacturers benefit from resources like water and rail infrastructure, agriculture and a relatively low cost of energy.

“I think southern Illinois is well positioned specifically because it’s a nexus of many of the pieces of a puzzle that manufacturers need,” Boulay said.