Made in Texas: Powering American Industry

Texas’ manufacturing strength spans the products that power everyday life and the technologies shaping its future. From vehicles and semiconductors to industrial machinery, food production and aerospace, the state’s diverse manufacturing base supports employment, international trade and opportunities for businesses throughout South Texas.

The “Made in Texas” infographic by Jake Hall, produced in partnership with Redzone, highlights that scale. Its figures provide a useful overview, with several requiring clarification or updated context from official sources.

• A manufacturing economy exceeding $330 billion. The graphic places Texas second nationally in manufacturing GDP and cites approximately $330 billion in output. Federal economic data report $332.1 billion in Texas manufacturing GDP for 2025. This measures the sector’s contribution to the economy, reflecting the value manufacturers add through production. • Nearly one million manufacturing jobs. The graphic cites approximately 980,000 people directly employed in manufacturing. The Texas Governor’s Office reports that the sector employed nearly one million people in 2025. These jobs connect industrial investment with household income and create demand for training, technical education and workforce development. 

• An extensive network of manufacturing operations. While the infographic lists 40,000-plus manufacturing companies, the state’s October 2026 bulletin reports more than 30,700 manufacturing establishments in 2025. Companies and establishments are different measures—a company can operate multiple locations—and the graphic does not explain its count. The official figure nevertheless demonstrates the breadth of Texas’ industrial base and the opportunities for suppliers and service providers. 

• National leadership in manufactured exports. The graphic identifies Texas as the country’s leading exporter of manufactured goods, a distinction also recognized by the Texas Comptroller. The U.S. Trade Representative reports $299.3 billion in manufactured exports in 2025, including computers and electronic products, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment and machinery. These exports connect Texas industry with customers worldwide. 

• A long-term emphasis on export growth. The infographic states that manufacturing exports have doubled since 2011, but it provides neither an ending year nor an underlying data source. That specific comparison remains unverified. The documented $299.3 billion exported in 2025 offers a clearer benchmark for understanding the importance of international markets to Texas manufacturers. • No. 1 in chemical engineering employment. The graphic’s ranking is supported by federal May 2024 employment estimates, which place Texas first with 2,780 chemical engineers. This expertise supports the development and improvement of processes used in chemicals, materials, energy and other industrial applications. 

• No. 2 in electrical engineering employment. Federal May 2024 estimates place Texas second with 15,470 electrical engineers, consistent with the infographic. Electrical engineering capabilities are important to power systems, industrial equipment and the technologies supporting increasingly automated production. 

• No. 3 in mechanical engineering employment. Texas employed 18,790 mechanical engineers in May 2024, ranking behind Michigan and California. Mechanical engineering supports machinery design, equipment performance and manufacturing processes across a wide range of industries. 

• A broad engineering workforce. The infographic also ranks Texas second in total engineering employment. It does not specify the year or occupations included, so that aggregate ranking requires further verification. The separately documented chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering rankings demonstrate substantial technical capacity. These employment counts cover industries statewide, rather than manufacturing alone.

The companies pictured reinforce the diversity behind these figures. Tesla, Toyota, General Motors and Peterbilt represent vehicles and transportation; Texas Instruments, NXP and Samsung Austin Semiconductor highlight electronics; and SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Bell and Airbus Helicopters represent aerospace. The graphic also features businesses associated with chemicals, metals, industrial equipment, medical products, food and beverages, showing how widely manufacturing reaches across the economy.

For South Texas, that breadth creates opportunities to connect local businesses and workers with larger industrial supply chains. Universities and technical colleges can prepare talent for specialized roles, while suppliers, manufacturers and logistics providers can pursue relationships with established and expanding operations. Strengthening those connections and the region’s collaboration with Mexico can help South Texas translate the statewide strength of “Made in Texas” into more local production, business growth and lasting industrial opportunity.