Ohio’s economy has likely surpassed $1 trillion, and a new column argues that manufacturing deserves much of the credit.

Drawing heavily from the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Manufacturing Counts report, Rick Platt, president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority and a JobsOhio board member, notes that manufacturing accounts for 15% of Ohio’s economy, supports one in seven jobs and generates more wages than any other sector.

The column also highlights a fact that is often overlooked: More than 60% of Ohio manufacturers employ fewer than 20 people, while midsized manufacturers account for the largest share of manufacturing employment.

“The bottom line? It’s personal,” Platt writes. “It’s our neighbors who work in manufacturing.”

Ohio did not reach a $1 trillion economy by accident. It got there because manufacturers of every size continue to invest, hire and produce in communities across the state. 7/13/2026