St. Pete is home to an array of specialized manufacturers powered by the Pinellas County workforce. Pinellas County has the largest manufacturing employee base among eight Tampa Bay counties and has the third largest manufacturing employee base in the State of Florida.
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St. Pete’s manufacturing community includes everything from mission-critical parts to sustainable furniture. One of the world’s largest manufacturers, Fortune 500 firm Jabil, with 140,000 employees worldwide, is headquartered in St. Pete. Jabil’s local manufacturing presence specializes in mission-critical high-mix low-volume defense OEM and military supply chain solutions.
St. Petersburg College’s Engineering, Manufacturing, and Building Arts programs give students in-depth experience and technical knowledge. Its Collaborative Center for Emerging Technologies, provides hands-on training in an open manufacturing learning facility. Students master skills in additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, quality measurement, electronic instrumentation, and reverse engineering. SPC’s SolidWorks Design Center, the first of its kind in Florida, makes use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) equipment, 3-D scanners and 3-D printers. The school is also developing a state-of-the-art manufacturing industry training lab in downtown St. Petersburg.
Pinellas Technical College provides manufacturing training and apprenticeships, with most programs completed in one year or less.
AmSkills, the American Manufacturing Skills Initiative, is a regional economic development and workforce training initiative for the manufacturing industry providing high school programs, bootcamps, training classes, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships.
Other key sources for workforce training and development for Pinellas-based employers include CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas and the College Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing.
Manufacturers are supported by local, regional, and state groups like:
St. Pete and Tampa Bay have robust transportation infrastructure. St. Pete is connected to Miami and points south and Tampa and points north by a network of interstate highways. Tampa International Airport (TPA), named one of the country’s best airports by multiple publications, offers 90+ nonstop domestic and international flights. Air cargo service at TPA is provided on both a scheduled and non-scheduled basis by passenger airlines and all-cargo airlines. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) offers 60+ nonstop flights throughout the U.S. And the Port of Tampa, Florida’s largest cargo tonnage port, with recently-added capacity and continued expansion, transports 33 million tons of cargo a year.
Companies that create jobs or make capital investments may receive grants and tax savings.
Manufacturers in particular can benefit from sales and use tax exemptions for
St. Pete is seeing growth in technology and robot-driven manufacturing.
The ARM Institute (Advanced Robotic for Manufacturing) opened a Florida office in the Tampa Bay Innovation Center in St. Pete, noting that they were “drawn by St. Pete’s culture of innovation.” ARM’s Chief Strategy Officer Suzy Teele said, “We have the technology and wisdom needed to strengthen manufacturing by leveraging what robots and humans do best,” adding, “Our goal is to expand the work we are currently doing with regional manufacturers, universities, entrepreneurs, and economic development organizations, as well as new partners, to pioneer a better and more equally just advanced manufacturing model for the nation.”
Haddy, which manufactures furniture and items for the build environment using artificial intelligence-powered robots opened its corporate headquarters and microfactory in St. Pete in 2022, and is expanding its operations with additional robots and capabilities. CEO Jay Rogers is an evangelist for how new ways of manufacturing can strengthen American competitiveness.
Jabil
Jabil is a Fortune 500 global manufacturing company headquartered in St. Pete with more than 140,000 employees across 100 locations in 25+ countries. Their local manufacturing specializes in high-mix, low- to medium-volume product solutions for the aerospace and defense industries.
Haddy
Haddy is a 3D-printed furniture manufacturer headquartered in St. Pete. They specialize in creating sustainable and recyclable furniture using advanced robotics and artificial intelligence. Their manufacturing process involves a hybrid approach of additive, subtractive, and assembly techniques with robots, enabling the production of durable and regenerative furniture. Haddy's headquarters and microfactory are located at 1921 5th Avenue South in St. Pete's Warehouse Arts District.
ARM Institute
The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute funded by the Department of Defense. Established in 2017 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the ARM Institute opened a satellite office in St. Pete, in October 2022. This expansion aims to support Florida's growing technology and manufacturing ecosystem by catalyzing robotic technologies and workforce development solutions. The St. Pete office is located in the Tampa Bay Innovation Center.
AGORA Edge
AGORA Edge is a St. Pete-based company specializing in the design and manufacturing of soft goods, ranging from electronic device cases to military-grade exoskeletons. In November 2024, AGORA Edge opened a new 48,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and headquarters at 2000 29th Street North. This expansion was supported by the Pinellas County Employment Sites Program and aims to enhance their production capabilities to better serve clients, including several Fortune 500 companies.
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Visit us in St. Pete
The St. Pete EDC is located at 111 2nd Ave NE, Ste. 610, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Parking is available in the Plaza LAZ lot located next to the building; use GPS for 221 1st St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, which is near the entrance located on 1st Street N. between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
Parking is $5/hour for the first 3 hours and $20 thereafter; it is a card payment facility only (no cash). Visitor parking is on the 1st and 4th floors; please note there is no handicapped access from the parking garage above the first floor.
There is also surrounding street parking; pay with ParkMobile or in the Sundial Garage located 2 blocks away.
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