Overview of
Advanced Manufacturing in Jacksonville
In the Jacksonville region, the infrastructure is already built: megasite land, a full intermodal stack, a workforce pipeline aligned to production and MRO — the assets most markets spend a decade assembling are here and operational.
98.6M
consumers within same-day reach
2
certified megasites: Cecil Commerce Center + Crawford Diamond
92.9
cost of living index (U.S. avg = 100)
~11%
below U.S. average construction costs
Explore This Industry
1
Areas of Excellence
Supplier adjacency. Experienced operators.
Faster ramp — because you’re not building an ecosystem from scratch.
The JAX advanced manufacturing base didn’t form around incentives — it formed around assets. A full intermodal logistics stack. Two certified megasites. A business climate that gets projects from permit to production without unnecessary friction.
That’s why Johnson & Johnson Vision, Anheuser-Busch, BAE Systems, Baker Hughes, Medtronic and Northrop Grumman didn’t just locate here — they keep expanding here.
Agribusiness
Aircraft & Aviation Components
Aerospace & Defense
Maintenance & Repair (MRO)
Metal Products & Machinery
Medical Device
2
Talent & Workforce
The region sits inside a 250-mile talent shed that produces 82,000+ graduates who offer support for manufacturing, aviation, aerospace and tech annually. These aren’t generalist programs — they’re built around what manufacturers need next: automation, engineering technology, aviation maintenance and AI-enabled operations.
What's Already Here
36K+
employed in advanced manufacturing within 250 miles
(Regional population)
#1
Florida rank for U.S. manufacturing job growth
#1
Florida rank for MRO establishments
(#3 in aircraft mfg.)
Pipeline Partners
University of North Florida (UNF)
First-of-kind advanced manufacturing programs in Florida.
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ)
Engineering technology pathway with active employer partnerships: Johnson & Johnson Vision, Gerdau Ameristeel, Anheuser-Busch.
Jacksonville University (JU)
Engineering and technology programs feeding directly into regional advanced manufacturing operations.
University of Florida (UF)
A new graduate campus in downtown Jacksonville bringing engineering, health sciences and business programs, including a Florida Semiconductor Institute location connecting manufacturers to applied R&D talent.
St. Johns River State College (SJR State)
Engineering technology and mechatronics programs across campuses in Orange Park, Palatka and St. Augustine, with hands-on lab instruction and employer-aligned curriculum built for production-floor entry.
Keiser University
55+ programs, including a Bachelor of Science in applied engineering, with AI integrated across all degrees and biannual employer advisory boards that keep curriculum aligned to regional manufacturing and logistics needs.
Earn Up + Find Your JAX
JAXUSA’s workforce development and talent attraction programs designed to grow and retain the regional pipeline.
CareerSource Northeast Florida
Partners with advanced manufacturing employers to recruit, train and upskill talent through customized workforce solutions, hiring assistance and training grants.
3
Infrastructure
Most manufacturing markets offer partial logistics. The Jacksonville region delivers the complete picture: a deep-water port, international airport, rail, four-lane interstate access and certified megasite land — in a single operating geography. This isn’t infrastructure as a talking point. It’s infrastructure that shows up in your truck turn times, your carrier rates, and your customers’ lead times.
JAXPORT
Florida’s largest container port by volume
- 10M tons of cargo annually
- Channel depth: 47 ft
- #2 automobile port | #1 for service excellence
- 4 deep-water terminals
Rail
CSX Transportation HQ: Jacksonville
- Two Class I railroads: CSX + Norfolk Southern
- Direct connections to Eastern Seaboard + Midwest
- Cecil Commerce Center: rail-served industrial land
- Intermodal ramp access on-site
JAX Airport + Cecil
90+ nonstop daily flights | 40+ direct U.S. airports
- Nearly $300M in airport improvements
- Cecil Airport: 12,500-ft runway | 4.5M-sf apron
- 14,000+ acres | air/intermodal | rail-served
- $215M in Cecil improvements since 1999
Distribution Reach
50%+ of U.S. population: 2nd-day delivery
- 100+ truck terminals
- 4th largest UPS regional hub
- Low backhaul rates
- Warehouse avg: $9.71/sf | 9.4% vacancy
4
Success Stories
Boeing
Advanced Manufacturing
Boeing’s operations in Jacksonville have grown into a cornerstone of the region’s aerospace and defense sector, anchored at Cecil Airport. The company has continued to invest in and expand its footprint, reinforcing Jacksonville’s role as a strategic hub for military aviation support. With access to a skilled workforce and close proximity to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Boeing is uniquely positioned to deliver mission-critical services that directly support U.S. and allied defense operations. Today, Boeing’s Jacksonville operations are extensive and essential to national defense. Continued investment and recent program milestones underscore Jacksonville’s growing importance in sustaining advanced military aircraft and delivering readiness at a global scale.
5
Medical Device Manufacturing in JAX
Florida's Manufacturing Advantage
No
manufacturing equipment tax
No
corporate franchise tax
No
inventory tax
4th
best business tax climate in the U.S.
Tax Foundation, 2024
Why the Region Works for Device Manufacturers
11% construction cost advantage below the U.S. average for purpose-built manufacturing space
Access to 899,000+ regional workers — including veterans with precision manufacturing and systems discipline
Port, interstate and air cargo infrastructure for global device distribution
Proximity to clinical trial sites and academic medical centers for research-to-production pathways
Major Employers Already Here
Zimmer Biomet
global leader in musculoskeletal health care products
KLS Martin Surgery
surgical instruments and implant systems for maxillofacial and neurosurgery
Johnson & Johnson Vision
contact lens and ophthalmic surgical device manufacturing
Medtronic
precision medical device production across multiple therapeutic areas
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