Every link in Missouri's vast supply chain makes the state a better place to do business. A large, skilled workforce means you can expect higher productivity and a higher quality product. A top-ranked transportation network gets products to market quickly. A central location keeps shipping costs low. And low business and labor costs do even more to make Missouri the perfect environment for your manufacturing business. This explains why Missouri is home to so many advanced manufacturing companies, such as Ford, General Motors, Boeing, and Harley Davidson.

• Missouri has the 9th best transportation network in the nation based on value of goods shipped by air, land and water, the availability of air travel, and the quality of roads (CNBC).
• Missouri is located within 600 miles of 52% of U.S. manufacturing establishments.
• Missouri is located within 600 miles of 51% of all U.S. households.

Missouri has the workforce Advanced Manufacturing companies require:

Boeing Defense, Space & Security Unit: (HQ St. Louis) Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security unit includes military aircraft as well as missiles, airborne lasers, and Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs). The unit is also NASA's prime contractor for the International Space Station and makes information and communications satellite systems.

Ford: (Kansas City) Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant, one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world, produces the Mazda Tribute and Ford F-150. The plant began production in 1957. In 2011, Ford announced a $1.1 billion investment in the facility, adding a second manufacturing line for the F-150 pickup truck in 2012 and bringing in a new product, the Transit commercial van, in 2013. The investment will create 1,600 new jobs.

General Motors: (St. Louis) General Motors’ Wentzville plant produces the Chevy Express & GMC Savana vans. The plant opened in 1983, and it has been the Harbour Report North America "Most Productive Full Size Van Plant" every year since 2003. In September of 2011, General Motors announced a $380 million investment into its Wentzville plant, adding 1,850 jobs and a new pickup line.

GKN Aerospace North America: (St. Louis) GKN Aerospace North America is a first-tier supplier of structures, components, assemblies and engineering services to aircraft and aero engine manufacturers.

Harley Davidson: (Kansas City) The 358,000-square-foot Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations in Kansas City, Mo. was built in 1998. Kansas City employees produce the Sportster, Dyna and VRSC families of motorcycles from fabrication and finishing through final assembly.

Hayes Lemmerz International Inc.: (Sedalia) Hayes Lemmerz International is the world's #1 manufacturer of fabricated steel and cast aluminum wheels for passenger cars and light trucks, and steel wheels for commercial trucks and trailers. Their Sedalia plant employs over 500 Missourians.

Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies LLC: (Kansas City) Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies’ Kansas City Plant is at the heart of the NNSA nuclear security organization. In 2009, the plant was honored with the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award based in part on the fact that the combined product quality and reliability performance level has been at 99.9 percent for traditional customers during the past three years.

Kawasaki: (Maryville) In 1989, the Maryville Kawasaki Plant was opened for production of general purpose engines. The Maryville facility has grown to over 700,000 square feet on 113.7 acres of land employing over 600 people.

LaBarge Inc.: (HQ St. Louis) LaBarge’s printed circuit boards, cables, electronic assemblies, and other products are used in demanding applications such as military communication systems, commercial aircraft, satellites, medical equipment, airport security, glass container fabrication systems, and oil drilling equipment. LaBarge's top customers include Owens-Illinois, Raytheon, and Schlumberger. 

Lear Operations: (Wentzville) Lear is a leading global supplier of automotive seating systems and electrical power management systems.

LMI Aerospace: (HQ St. Louis) LMI Aerospace makes key airplane structures such as door and cockpit window frames, wing leading-edge skins, fuselage skins, and interior components. 

Peterson Manufacturing Company: (HQ Kansas City) Peterson Manufacturing is primarily a maker of automotive and trailer lighting products.  The company also makes automotive mirrors. Lighting customers include Harley-Davidson, Caterpillar, and O'Reilly Automotive.

Smith Electric Vehicles: (HQ Kansas City) Smith Electric Vehicles began production of their Newton electric truck at their new assembly facility in Kansas City in October 2009. The Kansas City plant is currently SEV’s only North American plant.

SRG Global: (Farmington and Portageville) SRG Global manufactures plastic and metal components for the global automotive industry. The company operates 2 manufacturing facilities in Missouri supplying grilles, bodyside moldings, nameplates, and other trim products to automotive manufacturers.

TG Missouri Corp.: (HQ Perryville) TG Missouri Corp.’s products include steering wheels, airbags, side molding, interior and exterior plastic trim components for automobiles. The company is affiliated with Toyoda Gosei.

Westar Aerospace & Defense: (St. Louis and Ft. Leonard Wood) Westar Aerospace and Defense Group, a subsidiary of QinetiQ North America, is a leading systems engineering contractor delivering engineering, software solutions, logistics information management and IT technical support services to the U.S. Department of Defense, allied governments and select commercial customers.