Florida’ s manufacturing GDP grew from $ 43.5 billion in 2014 to $ 73 billion in 2022, a 67.8 % growth rate that surpassed all other manufacturing states.
“ Over the past decade, manufacturing in the Volusia area has become more specialized, more technologydriven, and more closely tied to high-value sectors such as marine products, defense, aerospace and medical devices,” said Lou Paris, Volusia County’ s Economic Development Director. With more than 450 manufacturing companies,“ the area has moved further away from commodity-style manufacturing and deeper into precision, regulated and innovation-linked production.”
Along with Aura Aero, Paris cited such existing manufacturers as Sparton, makers of sonobuoys used for underwater warfare, and boat-maker Boston Whaler.
B. Braun, whose Daytona Beach plant makes nearly a quarter of the IV fluid used in the U. S.,“ became nationally important during the 2024 supply disruption,” when the facility“ ramped production by 20 % to help stabilize supply,” Paris said.
These companies“ bring not just jobs, but higher-value production,” he said.
Boston Whaler, Volusia County’ s largest boat manufacturer, is known for its iconic " unsinkable " boats.
According to JAXUSA, leading advanced manufacturers in the Jacksonville area include Johnson & Johnson Vision( the contact lens maker was ranked No. 48 on the 2025 Fortune 500 list), Anheuser-Busch, BAE Systems, Baker Hughes, Medtronic and Northrop Grumman. Those companies are buoyed by the region’ s“ transportation infrastructure, competitive business climate and access to talent,” with the latter fueled by the area’ s high number of retiring veterans, JAXUSA said.
Rick de Yampert is a freelance writer living in Palm Coast, Florida. Previously he was a writer for 30 years at daily newspapers in Florida, Tennessee and Alabama.
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