Manufacturing Tour Highlights Workforce, Growth Potential
About 50 business leaders and public officials boarded a tour bus in Hartford Oct. 13 to celebrate Manufacturing Month and learn more about the sector’s challenges and opportunities.
The one-of-a-kind experience is what’s unique about the second annual Manufacturing Bus Tour, produced by the CBIA Foundation in collaboration with CBIA affiliate CONNSTEP.
The bus—with a passenger list that includes chief manufacturing officer Kirti Patel—is visiting 20 leading Connecticut manufacturing companies, education institutions, and workforce training facilities from Oct. 13-17.
At Nucor Steel in Wallingford on the tour’s first day, the group highlighted the sector’s economic importance at a news conference featuring key stakeholders.
“We’re shining a light on our state’s rich manufacturing legacy and helping foster an understanding of how we can grow an industry that’s critically important to our state’s economy,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.
Sector Impact
Citing CBIA’s just-released 2025 Connecticut Manufacturing Report, DiPentima outlined the sector’s impact on Connecticut:
- A record $34.2 billion dollar output in 2024—almost 12% of the state’s economy
- Contributes $496 million in annual state taxes
- Nearly 4,600 manufacturers employ over 153,000 workers
- $100,745 average salary—15% higher than state’s overall average
- $16.1 billion in exports in 2024—a $1.2 billion increase over the previous year
“All of this is a tremendous indication that manufacturing is alive and well in Connecticut,” he said.
Speaking at the Oct. 13 news conference, Patel said “manufacturing is central—and essential—to the state’s economy.”
“Over the last five years, our manufacturers have faced global disruptions, workforce challenges, and shifting markets—and yet, continued to grow,” he said.
“That’s no coincidence. It’s the direct result of your talent, your grit, and your leadership.”
Manufacturing Coalition
Appointed to his position in September, Patel said the tour was perfectly timed to give him insights into the breadth of the base and diversity of partnerships that make the sector so strong.
“What’s clear to me, even in these first few weeks, is that Connecticut’s manufacturing sector is built on innovation, resilience, and community,” he said.
“As we travel across the state this week, we’re not just visiting factories or facilities—we’re shining a light on what’s possible when our vision, skill, and partnership come together.
“Connecticut manufacturing is strong—and it’s only getting stronger.”
“Manufacturing in Connecticut is built on innovation, resilience, and community,” added Beatriz Gutierrez, president and CEO of CONNSTEP.
Gutierrez also highlighted the new CBIA Manufacturing Coalition, created in partnership with CONNSTEP to help manufacturers address challenges and amplify the industry’s voice.
“This coalition comes at a pivotal moment for Connecticut’s manufacturing industry,” she said.
“Amid ongoing labor shortages and supply chain uncertainty, it is strong partnerships like these that will give manufacturers the tools and voice to position the industry to grow and thrive.”
The 2025 Manufacturing Tour is made possible through the generous support of Walmart, Connecticut State Community College, Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, Chelsea Groton Bank, CBIZ, and J. Morrissey, with additional support from Niagara, David Alan Hospitality Group, and Severance Foods.
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CBIA IS FIGHTING TO MAKE CONNECTICUT A TOP STATE FOR BUSINESS, JOBS, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. A BETTER BUSINESS CLIMATE MEANS A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE.