Supply Chain
Kansas is home to more than 2,500 manufacturing firms generating in excess of $25 billion annually. Located within a day’s drive of major Midwest and Southern manufacturing hubs, Kansas provides unmatched market access. With a pro-business climate, skilled workforce, and reliable energy from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s seven member utilities, Kansas is the ideal location to grow your manufacturing supply chain.
Leading Manufacturing Firms
Where Kansas Manufacturing Thrives
Top 10 Kansas Manufacturing Sectors, in Millions of Dollars (2016)
Horizontal bar chart showing top Kansas manufacturing sectors by output. A data table follows.
| Sector | Output (USD millions) |
|---|---|
| Aerospace / transportation equipment | 7000 |
| Food, beverage & tobacco products | 4100 |
| Chemicals | 1800 |
| Machinery | 1700 |
| Petroleum & coal products | 1700 |
| Fabricated metal products | 1400 |
| Motor vehicles & parts | 1200 |
| Plastics & rubber products | 1000 |
| Printing & related support | 800 |
| Nonmetallic mineral products | 600 |
Bars are proportional to output. Highest is Aerospace & other transportation equipment. X-axis ticks every $2,000M.
Competitive Labor Costs
Hourly wages for many occupations in demand by manufacturers are at or below average for the region and the nation.
| Occupation | SW KS | NW KS | KS | CO | NE | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $27.96 | $20.52 | $26.84 | $29.65 | $26.95 | $27.78 |
| Team Assemblers | $12.26 | $10.44 | $16.22 | $14.47 | $15.42 | $14.45 |
| Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other | $13.27 | $15.01 | $14.88 | $13.15 | $13.73 | |
| Machinists | $16.36 | $17.70 | $18.87 | $21.55 | $18.92 | $20.05 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $15.75 | $17.71 | $18.52 | $20.03 | $18.12 | $18.94 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $18.45 | $19.39 | $19.41 | $21.91 | $18.90 | $19.87 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $14.15 | $14.54 | $14.93 | $14.48 | $14.21 | $15.10 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $13.89 | $16.36 | $16.44 | $16.43 | $15.07 | $15.61 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $13.56 | $12.41 | $13.41 | $13.21 | $13.37 | $12.49 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $14.44 | $12.85 | $14.08 | $16.67 | $13.66 | |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $8.72 | $10.22 | $10.10 | $10.80 | $10.64 |
Sunflower Electric Economic Development: A Partner You Can Count On
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation delivers wholesale generation, transmission, and support services to six-member rural electric cooperatives that power local communities in central and western Kansas. Through Sunflower Electric Economic Development, we partner with these cooperatives to drive business growth.
Beyond reliable power, we support value-added agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and IT companies with site selection, connections, and solutions to get your business running smoothly.
Think Kansas for your next venture—contact us today to discover how Kansas fits your company’s future.
