From snowplows to sausages: Why U.P. Manufacturing is the place to be!
October is Manufacturing Month! Which means it’s our favorite opportunity to appreciate the employers, workers, and career opportunities across our region that produce the products we rely on. In the U.P. this is especially important because manufacturing accounts for more than 10% of our job market(!), giving it a vital role in our rural economies.
Manufacturing is the process of transforming raw materials into tangible, finished products on a large scale using machines and other technologies, rather than crafting by hand. And it is used for a wide range of products! In the U.P. for example, this includes everything from electronic circuit boards and metal fabrication to food and beer production and even skateboards. And these products don’t stay local—many find their way into operating rooms and gymnasium floors around the country and across globe!
Ever wondered if a career in manufacturing could be right for you? Here are five stats that might convince you:
Visits and collaborations with U.P. Manufacturers this year!
U.P. Manufacturing by the Numbers
12,832 is the total number of manufacturing jobs in the U.P. as of 2025. Over the last ten years, more than 1,500 jobs have been added, meaning the manufacturing sector has grown by over 14% in that timeframe. Considering that manufacturing growth for the state was just 4.2% and the country as a whole was just 5.6%, this increase in U.P. manufacturing job openings makes for a highly promising career future.
$78,000 is the average income for all manufacturing jobs in the U.P. On the entry level side, production jobs can average ~$20-$25/hour, and specialized roles such as an Industrial Production Manager can earn more than $100k/year. With pay like that, manufacturing stays competitive with earnings that outpace the U.P.’s median wage ($21.62/hour or ~$45,000/year).
216 is the number of approved occupations under “Manufacturing” for USDOL registered apprenticeships. These apprenticeship occupations include machine operators, engineering technicians, and even bakers! UPMW currently sponsors several manufacturing-related registered apprenticeships with businesses like Advanced Blending Solutions, Marble Arms, and Great Lakes Sound & Vibration.
There are over 500 manufacturers in the U.P. and that number is constantly changing and growing. In the U.P. the top types of manufacturing are paper manufacturing, wood product manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, and machine manufacturing. Below is just a limited sample of businesses UPMW regularly serves and partners with–there are probably some you recognize!
Selection of U.P. Manufacturers
Selection of U.P. Manufacturers
| Manufacturer | Location | What they make: |
|---|---|---|
| Able Medical Devices | Gwinn | Medical implants and surgical instruments |
| Advanecd BlendingSolutions | Wallace | Blending Systems for plastic and other applications |
| Andex Industries | Escanaba | Custom display packaging solutions |
| Bessemer Plywood | Bessemer | Plywood |
| Billerud | Quinnesec | Paper products |
| BOSS Snowplow | Iron Mountain | Snowplows and snow removal equipment |
| Calumet Electronics | Calumet | Printed circuit boards |
| Carmeuse | Multiple | Limestone mining and processing |
| Creative Composites | Rapid River | Composite materials |
| Engineered Machined Products | Escanaba | Engine components and cooling systems |
| Great Lakes Sound & Vibration | Houghton | Acoustic/vibration solutions, defense manufacturing |
| GS Engineering | Houghton | Engineering design, simulation, and prototype development |
| Hawk Technologies | Houghton | Engineering Solutions |
| Hiawatha Log Homes | Munising | Log Homes |
| Horner Flooring Company | Dollar Bay | Sports flooring |
| Independent Machine Co. | Escanaba | Railroad industry products and precision machining |
| Jaquart Fabric Products | Ironwood | Cold-weather apparel |
| Koppers Inc. | Hubbell | Wood preservation chemicals |
| L'Anse Manufacturing | L'Anse | precision prototypes and low-to-mid volume production parts using CNC machining and other manufacturing techniques |
| Lloyd Flanders | Menominee | Wicker Furniture |
| Loadmaster | Kingsford | Garbage Trucks |
| Maples Sawmill Inc | Hessel | |
| Marbles Outdoors | Gladstone | Gun sights |
| Massie MFG, Inc. | Baraga | Metal fabrication |
| Mount Manufacturing | Marquette | Surgical products |
| Neuvokas Corporation | Ahmeek | GatorBar fiberglass rebar |
| Northern Hardwoods | South Range | Hardwood lumber |
| Northern Machine and Repair | Escanaba | Repair and maintenance including shaft turning, flange facing, welding, milling, drilling, and alignment. |
| Northern Wings | Newberry | Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing |
| Pettibone, LLC | Baraga | Material handling equipment |
| Precision Edge | SSM | Surgical products |
| Somero | Houghton | Concrete leveling, contouring, and placing equipment |
| Systems Control | Iron Mountain | Electrical control panels and systems |
| TN Americas | SSM | Precision and semi-precision balls |
| U.P. Fabricating Co., Inc. | Rock, Negaunee, Manistique | Custom metal fabrication and machining |
| VanAire | Gladstone | Wastewater treatment systems and mounting brackets |
| Vollwerth & Baroni Companies | Hancock | Sausages and lunch meats |
| Warm Rain Corporation | Hancock/Calumet | Fiberglass/acrylic tubs and showers |
Four general training pathways will get you to a range of certifications professionals pursue depending on their specific career goals in manufacturing. For technical, hands-on roles this often focuses on skilled trades such as welding and machining. For leadership or specialized positions, this can require degrees in advanced engineering or business. No matter where you start, here are the routes that can get you where you’re going:
1. High school diploma or equivalent: many entry level positions require only this and will train you on the job.
2. Formal registered apprenticeship, On the Job Training (OJT), or Work Based Learning (WBL) with a specific manufacturing employer. These arrangements allow you to get paid while you train and gain valuable real world work experiences that can result in an official credential and job offer.
3. Community colleges like Gogebic Community College or Bay College provide training and credentials for key manufacturing trade skills. These programs include welding, engineering, and mechatronics, and sometimes are completed as part of an apprenticeship. Better yet—if you are not already a degree holder, you can get your degree for free at a local community college through the MiReconnect Program!
4. Advanced degrees can support professional advancement into leadership or other specialized roles. These degrees are often a variety of engineering degrees including manufacturing, mechanical, industrial, or mechatronics, which are available through U.P. universities like Northern Michigan University, Michigan Technological University, or Lake Superior State University.
The U.P. just would not be the same U.P. without our manufacturers. And with the field’s low barrier to entry and many supports, anyone passionate about the job can find a way to succeed. Manufacturing supports families, builds communities, and drives innovation, and we’re proud to celebrate their industry this month! Want help starting your manufacturing career? Let’s make it happen!