Manufacturing will remain viable in Q-C, many say

The Quad-Cities economy will continue to diversify in upcoming decades, but large manufacturers will remain vital players, local business leaders say.

The U.S. economy has shifted from an industrial-oriented society to an informational society, but that doesn't mean manufacturing companies like Deere & Co., CNH and Alcoa are on the way out, said Rick Baker, president of the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce.

``Our economic base is diversifying, but our large manufacturers will always be strong economic players in our community,'' Mr. Baker said.

Consumers still need products, and companies still need machines to make those products, so there always will be a demand for manufacturing, said John Gardner, retiring president of the Quad City Development Group, which works to attract companies to the Quad-Cities.

Quad-Cities mainstays like Deere and CNH will remain strong into the new century, the men said, while new manufacturers continue to locate near the Mississippi River.

``I don't see another Deere or Alcoa cropping up, as far as magnitude of importance, but I think we'll see new fields opening up here,'' Mr. Gardner said. ``We'll see more products that involve advanced manufacturing, that require large capital investment in equipment, and investment in training and retraining the people to run the equipment.''

A new wave of local manufacturing will involve companies that use components of Midwestern commodities like corn and soybeans to produce pharmaceuticals, lubricants and other by-products, Mr. Gardner said.

These new companies, like other local manufacturers, capitalize on cutting-edge technology to advance the quality and efficiency of their operations, Mr. Gardner said. That evolution will guarantee companies like Deere and CNH remain competitive in the future marketplace, he said.

The technological revolution also has influenced the kinds of workers seeking jobs at local manufacturers, Mr. Baker said. As companies take advantage of newly developed technology, workers must be skilled enough to adapt to the changing workplace, he said.

Increased technology on the shoproom floor requires skilled workers with increased education and training, he said, which, in turn, is rewarded with increased wages and job satisfaction, Mr. Gardner said.

``These are very, very sophisticated manufacturers, and they will become more sophisticated as time goes by,'' Mr. Gardner said. ``For a long time, manufacturing work wasn't seen as glamorous or rewarding psychicly. Now, young people are realizing it's not the old days where you stood in one place and did the same things all day long. It takes skill and imagination to produce these goods.''

The Quad-Cities is well-positioned to attract new, sophisticated manufacturers because of its location in the center of the country, and its excellent transportation links, Mr. Gardner said. The Quad-Cities also can supply intelligent, hard-working employees, Mr. Gardner said.

``We're an area that knows how to make things, and the variety of things we make will continue to increase,'' Mr. Gardner said. ``Our companies -- like Williams White and others -- make the machines that make stuff. That will keep us viable.''