(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced the launch of a taxpayer-funded marketing campaign for Illinois manufacturing.
The “Make It In Illinois” campaign is funded by $5 million of taxpayer funds. Pritzker made the announcement while visiting the Manufacturing and Technology and Engineering Center at Richard J. Daley College on Chicago’s Southwest Side Tuesday.
“October is National Manufacturing Month, which has special meaning for the leading manufacturing state in the industrial Midwest,” Pritzker announced.
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Kristin Richards said the “Make It In Illinois” campaign includes advertisements in neighboring states.
“This is a reminder to our neighbors across Illinois borders. Illinois is the best place to live, work and do business,” Richards said.
Chief Executive magazine ranked Illinois 48th out of 50 in its list of Best and Worst States for Business 2024 survey.
Indiana ranked 6th, Kentucky 19th, Missouri 22nd and Iowa 23rd. Wisconsin dropped from 19th in 2023 to 30th in 2024. Only New York and California ranked lower than Illinois.
The goals of the Make It In Illinois campaign include boosting job applications at Illinois manufacturers and improving enrollment in training and apprenticeship programs.
“Site Selection magazine, which maybe none of you subscribe to, but it’s very important for companies that are looking for where they want to build their next manufacturing plant or put their next headquarters. Site Selection magazine now ranks us in Illinois as the No. 1 state in the Midwest for workforce development,” Pritzker said.
Site Selection, however, also ranked Illinois 44th out of 50 for manufacturing. Minnesota is the only Midwest state which ranked lower.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois dropped from 581,900 manufacturing jobs in December of 2023 to 577,500 in August of 2024.
According the latest Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act report, Illinois companies reported a total of 1,183 layoffs in August, including 494 layoffs in manufacturing.
