Manufacturing is a major economic driver in Northeast Florida, fueling job creation, wages and regional growth. As of early 2025, Florida’ s manufacturing workforce has risen to roughly 434,600 jobs— the highest since 2002— with over 27,300 establishments statewide.
In Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties, manufacturers are advancing the region— from construction materials and marine products to aerospace systems and botanical formulations. Companies like Northrop Grumman, Boston Whaler and Vidya Herbs USA anchor the local economy, expand workforce opportunities and reach global markets— making what’ s manufactured here truly matter.
Boston Whaler: Building Boats— and Careers— in Volusia County
For nearly 40 years, Boston Whaler’ s Edgewater campus has crafted the boats behind its nickname, The Unsinkable Legend. After relocating from Massachusetts in 1986 for year-round access to water, the company now employs around 750 people across production, engineering, design, sales and customer service.
The Edgewater site manages the entire process— from development to final assembly— ensuring quality control and swift innovation adaptation.“ Our customers are very passionate about Boston Whaler,” said Lenn Scholz, President of the Boston Whaler Group.“ We host multiple tours yearly to show how the boats they love are built and introduce the employees behind them.”
This craftsmanship relies on a diverse workforce with clear career pathways. Production employees can advance from entry-level to senior assembler roles, while engineers benefit from a Technical Career Path program allowing growth without traditional management tracks.
“ We provide opportunities for career growth throughout the company,” Scholz said.“ From assembler levels to engineering roles, our structure rewards experience, curiosity and initiative.”
However, hiring and training remain challenging due to the technical nature of roles, requiring months of hands-on instruction. Boston Whaler addresses this with robust onboarding and safety-focused training,
Lenn Scholz equipping employees to succeed in a complex manufacturing environment.
Beyond production, the company fosters community through programs like Tomorrow’ s Leaders, school-supply drives, youth fishing derbies, Habitat for Humanity builds and coastal cleanups.
“ We’ re proud to be an active, engaged member of the community,” Scholz said, reflecting its deep ties to the region’ s marine heritage.
As Volusia County’ s largest boat manufacturer, Boston Whaler supports hundreds of direct jobs and sustains thousands more through local suppliers and vendors.
Vidya Herbs USA: Rooted in Sustainability, Growing Opportunity in Flagler County
Vidya Herbs USA in Bunnell is quietly transforming the botanical ingredient industry— blending global innovation with environmental stewardship in Flagler County. A leader in high-quality herbal extracts, Vidya supplies major brands across nutraceuticals, food and beverage, cosmetics and pet nutrition.
After years of careful planning, the U. S. headquarters and manufacturing facility opened in May 2023.“ We chose Bunnell for its strong agricultural community, growing skilled workforce and excellent transportation access,” said Helga van Eckert, Vice President of Florida Business Operations.“ Those factors, combined with the region’ s collaborative spirit, made it ideal for Vidya’ s U. S. expansion.”
Sustainability is at the core of Vidya’ s approach. The company employs Supercritical CO₂ Extraction( SCE), a clean, food-safe process that leaves no harmful residue and enables solvent reuse— reflecting their environmental goals and ensuring product purity.“ Sustainability isn’ t just part of what we do— it’ s woven into everything from our sourcing to our manufacturing methods,” van Eckert said.
Their sustainability extends to local sourcing, focusing on ingredients like saw palmetto berries grown nearby— reducing environmental impact and supporting local agriculture. This contrasts with industry norms of overseas processing and re-importing finished goods.
Currently, Vidya’ s 30-member team spans research, lab testing, manufacturing, logistics, HR, and administration. With a 28,000-square-foot probiotics facility under construction, they expect to add at least 50 new jobs soon.
“ We employ everyone from Ph. D. scientists to entrylevel associates,” van Eckert said.“ Whether in blending and encapsulation, quality control or back-office support, there’ s room to grow here.”
As wellness trends emphasize clean-label, personalized products, Vidya is heavily investing in science-backed, eco-conscious solutions.“ We’ re committed to building a future of wellness manufacturing right here in Florida,” van Eckert added.“ That means creating high-quality jobs, strengthening local partnerships and producing sustainable products the world demands.”
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2025 | 7 |